Why you should never drive in flip flops or sliders as you could hit you with 5,000 fine

As the UK heatwave continues, many Brits have been whipping out their summer clothes and sandals to beat the heat – but maybe you shouldn’t drive like you’re at the beach

The blistering weather this week has Brits dusting off their holiday attire and donning flip flops to combat the heat. This weekend is no different, with the mercury hitting 25C and above in parts of the UK

But remember, as temperatures contain to rise, your choice of clothing could have costly repercussions. It’s all too easy to slip on your flip flops and hop in the car, but you could find yourself in hot water if your loose footwear impairs your driving.

While it’s not illegal to drive wearing flip flops or sliders, you could face a careless driving fine if your shoes hinder your ability to drive safely.

Choosing to drive in flip flops could result in a hefty £5,000 fine and nine penalty points. According to Rule 97 of the Highway Code, drivers must wear “footwear and clothing which does not prevent you using controls in the correct manner.”

Loose and flimsy shoes could slip off, fall under the pedals and even obstruct an emergency stop.

In the worst-case scenarios, this could lead to a collision causing injury, or even death, to you or another driver or passenger.

If the police stop you or your footwear causes an accident, you could face charges for driving without due care and attention – or careless driving.

Being charged with careless driving means you’ll be hit with a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points added to your licence. However, in more severe cases, motorists can face fines reaching £5,000, along with up to nine penalty points.

You could even face a driving ban as the RAC advises that appropriate driving footwear should feature a sole no thicker than 10mm, whilst avoiding being too thin or soft.

They should also offer sufficient grip to prevent your foot from sliding off the pedals. Driving shoes shouldn’t restrict ankle movement or be excessively heavy or narrow.

The RAC explained: “While light, flimsy and impractical footwear can be dangerous, so can sturdy, robust shoes, such as walking or snow boots.

“It’s important to have a good base and grip to apply pressure to the pedals, but you need a certain degree of finesse to manipulate the controls. If not, you could strike the brake and accelerator together, producing a heart-in mouth situation.

“Of course, this all doesn’t stop some people, plenty of motorists do drive in shoes that afford them the proper control over the car. You wouldn’t go for a jog in high heels or flip-flops, so why use them when you’re behind the wheel.”

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Research, previously warned Sun Motors: “Before setting off, you should ensure that clothing and footwear do not prevent you using the controls in the correct manner.

“If flip flops stopped you being in control you could be prosecuted, as you are breaking Highway Code Rule 97.

“Careless driving is mostly judged on the impact your driving has on others around you, so if you are spotted swerving or braking erratically and then stopped and found to have inadequate footwear you could be prosecuted.

“If you do cause a crash, then it could also be an aggravating factor against you in court and lead to a slightly higher fine or longer ban.”

Research by insurance firm Ingenie revealed a staggering 27% of Brits have confessed to donning flip flops whilst driving. But is it genuinely worth taking the gamble?