Is it okay to wear sandals while practicing driving?
3 Answers
It is not recommended to wear sandals while practicing driving. The reasons are as follows: 1. Inaccurate feel: The thick soles of such shoes can lead to an inaccurate feel of the pedals, making it easy to misjudge the depth when performing operations like braking, accelerating, or engaging the clutch. 2. Foot muscles: Prolonged driving in high heels can easily cause foot muscles to cramp or strain. Additional recommendations for suitable footwear while practicing driving include: 1. Outdoor sports shoes: These shoes focus more on safety and durability, making them lighter and easier to handle for driving practice. 2. Flat shoes: For learners, soft-soled shoes with thin soles are also a good choice. Thin-soled shoes provide clearer feedback from the pedals, offer flexibility, and prevent slipping, helping learners get a better feel for driving. 3. Indoor sports and casual shoes: These shoes offer better wear resistance and protection, along with high comfort requirements, ensuring stronger protective performance and greater foot comfort and flexibility.
Wearing sandals for driving practice? From a safety perspective, I absolutely don’t recommend it. The soles of sandals aren’t sturdy enough, and with toes exposed, operating the accelerator and brake can lead to slipping—especially when sweating in hot weather. A single slip could mean pressing the wrong pedal. In an emergency, even a slight delay in reaction could cause an accident. I once saw someone practicing in sandals who nearly hit a wall because they couldn’t press the brake firmly. Driving isn’t child’s play—wear flat sneakers or well-covered casual shoes to ensure a firm grip. Before every long drive, checking my shoes has become routine. Safety first is the golden rule.
As an experienced driver, I've learned a lesson the hard way - don't wear sandals for momentary comfort while driving. Sandals are designed too loosely, making throttle control imprecise, especially during sharp turns when foot support is insufficient. A momentary distraction can lead to deviation. Once, I wore them for a short trip out of convenience, and ended up missing the pedal at a crowded intersection, nearly causing a rear-end collision. Later, I switched to low-top sneakers, and my driving became much more stable. I recommend choosing sturdy shoes with anti-slip soles that offer both breathability and safety. Develop good habits during training, don't wait for an accident to regret it.