Five Surprising Ways Your Footwear Impacts Your Driving

May 2, 2016

QUESTIONS shutterstock_231064897

What kind of footwear do you wear when you drive? Sneakers, business shoes, flip flops, or even nothing at all? You might be surprised how your choice in footwear can affect your driving and your safety.

Thick and Bulky Shoes

First and foremost, a driver’s footwear should allow the person to properly interpret the pressure and position of the pedals, which makes excessively thick footwear an issue. No one should wear something that reduces their sensation of the gas, brake, and clutch. It’s also vital not to wear something that could press two pedals at once, as this is a dangerous and disorienting mistake. Not only does this make you safer, but it can improve the gradual nature of your braking and acceleration, which will prolong your vehicle’s life.

Barefoot

Driving barefoot is comfortable for some people, and allows them to get the truest possible feel for the pedals. In fact, some people learn to drive manual transmissions barefoot, to get a true sense of the clutch. Barefoot is not one-size-fits-all, unfortunately. Wearing socks can reduce traction on the pedals, and some heavy manual vehicles have a strong clutch that is painful to push barefoot or in socks, and can encourage cramping. It’s also less protection for your feet in the event of an accident.

Flip Flops

There are arguments to be made for going barefoot, but not for flip flops. These unwieldy flat soles are unsafe for several reasons. They tend to come off easily, can get trapped or stuck on a pedal, and their completely flat shape does not imitate the natural curve of a foot, like most closed-toe footwear. Overall, they impede the driver’s ability to fully brake or release a pedal, and are too loose and unreliable. When faced with flip flops or going barefoot, it is safer to take them off.

High Heels

Drivers who wear high heels should keep a spare set of more comfortable shoes in their cars. High heels have some well-known issues, primarily the heel itself. Since the pedal is angled the opposite way of a foot in a high-heeled or platform shoe, this increases the effort needed to lift the foot and press the pedal. This can encourage drivers to keep their foot balanced on the heel, and angle the front of the foot left or right to hit pedals, which is not safe. Drivers should move their entire foot to press a pedal, as this reduces the chance of hitting multiple pedals or the wrong one.

The Right Shoes

In general, soft running trainers or traditional leather business shoes have the proper shape and flexibility to serve as driving shoes. However, the real answer will be different for everyone. In general, a driver’s footwear should be comfortable on long drives, with a sole that isn’t too thick, wide, or soft.

As long as your footwear doesn’t fall into categories that are provably unsafe, anything that makes your short-term movements and long-term driving comfortable will serve you well. Good luck and stay safe!

Image provided by Shutterstock