Drivers face £5,000 fine for wearing very common shoes

DRIVERS could be hit with a whopping £5,000 fine just for wearing these ordinary shoes while driving.

Although sneakers are extremely popular shoes, they could get you in trouble with the cops if they interfere with your ability to drive.

Some designer trainers aren’t best suited for riding around in a car, experts say, and could put the wearer on the wrong side of the law and a hefty financial penalty and points on their license.

There are rules about the type of clothing, in particular shoes and slippers, which may be worn by motorists, including rule 97 of the Highway Code which states that before taking your car you must ensure that clothes and shoes don’t prevent you from using the controls the right way.

Ignoring this rule could see a driver being given a “driving without care or attention” violation, if seen by a cop.

Legislation is in place to ensure people can properly use the pedals and other controls while driving.

The offense itself comes with a fixed fine of £100 as well as three points on your driving license – with an option to take a specialist driving course instead, which is at the discretion of the officer .

But if expensive coaches push you to drive dangerously, the same penalty applies, along with the possibility of your case being referred to the legal system.

If this happened it could lead to a fine of up to £5,000 as well as nine points on your license – or even an outright driving ban.

According to the Driving Standards Agency, your driving shoes should:

• Have a sole no thicker than 10 mm
• The sole should not be too thin or soft
• Provide enough grip to prevent your foot from slipping off the pedals.
• Don’t be too heavy
• Do not limit ankle movement
• Be narrow enough to avoid accidentally pressing two pedals at once

And don’t even think about putting on a pair of flip flops before hitting the road, as the rule clearly states that shoes with a sole less than 10mm thick are “dangerous” to drive.

High heels will also leave you teetering on a nasty fine, although around 40% of women admit to driving in them.

But high heels are impractical for stepping on the pedals as the heel can get stuck underneath.

It can also prevent drivers from fully depressing the pedal, which is vital during emergency braking.

Big boots can also take a big chunk out of your bank account – because while they may seem ideal, they can cause the driver to touch more than one pedal at a time.

Instead, motorists were told to keep a pair of proper driving shoes in the car.

Alastair Grier, managing director of CarMoney, said: “If you plan to drive somewhere with a smart dress code, we recommend changing to shoes that are suitable for the car journey.”

Sunglasses with too dark lenses or thick frames will also cast a shadow over your finances if you get caught in an inappropriate pair while driving.

Because while an essential eye protection accessory, some styles can restrict vision while driving.

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