Driving Barefoot in Texas is Against the Law, True or False?
Texas gets hot during the summer, and I know with my kids trying to round up shoes to go to the swimming pool or just someplace like granny's can be an unenviable task. But is driving barefoot in Austin, Texas or anywhere across the Lone Star State actually against the law?
While many of us may have had a parent, grandparent or crazy uncle tell us that it is illegal to drive barefoot, more than likely that was the end of out investigation into whether or not it was.
But they're not alone in believing it, in fact many Americans do believe that barefoot driving is illegal across the U.S. It’s a surprise to many that this is just an urban legend.
It is, in fact, legal to drive all motor vehicles without footwear in all 50 states, according to The Zebra. The website even cites a story from the '90s, when "a man named Jason Heimbaugh wrote to each of the 50 states’ departments of motor vehicles to make sure of it... Eventually all confirmed that barefoot driving is indeed legal."
While it is perfectly legal to drive barefoot in Texas, it is not recommended. Getdismissed.com lists risks that can be involved while driving barefoot:
- The soles of your shoes give a certain degree of uniform pressure, whereas your foot does not. Driving without shoes on may mean that over a period of time, you could experience some pain on the soles of your feet due to the unbalanced pressure put on them.
- If the car you are driving does not have automatic transmission, then depressing the clutch pedal needs a bit of force to be applied, and without footwear, this may prove difficult. Most drivers agree that wearing shoes makes the process a lot easier and gives them greater strength.
- The most significant risk you take when you are not wearing shoes, is that your foot has the potential to slip off the pedal with devastating consequences. Bare feet don’t have the same available force when it comes to braking and in an emergency, every second counts
And what if you're in a wreck? Shoes will do a lot to protect those cute lil toes of yours. So, legally you won't get in trouble for it, but probably for your own safety, slip on some shoes before heading out.
How about a few more laws in Texas you might want to be aware of: