These are the seven items of clothing that could land drivers with a massive fine if they're not careful.
We all know you need to wear appropriate footwear to get behind the wheel, but there are also clothes and accessories that could land you in trouble.
Drivers could be handed a £100 on the spot fine and three penalty points for careless driving if they are caught wearing 'inappropriate clothing'.
But if the incident goes to court, the penalty could go up to a £5,000 fine, nine penalty points or even a driving ban.
Clothing is deemed 'inappropriate' if it stops you from manoeuvring correctly.
Under Rule 97 of the Highway Code, ‘the clothing and footwear you choose to wear whilst you are driving must not prevent you from using the controls in the correct manner.’
Car finance company CarMoney have rounded up seven common clothing items that could be putting you at risk of breaking the law.
1. A long skirt or dress
They might be fashionable, but when it comes to wearing a maxi skirt or dress while driving you could be faced with a fine and even penalty points on your license.
The material could get caught underneath the pedals or restrict your use of them, which is obviously far from ideal.
2. Very baggy jeans
For the same reason as above, if your jeans are too baggy they are likely to be unfit for driving in, meaning you could be penalised.
3. Flip flops or sliders
Thousands of motorists get behind the wheel every year in their flip-flops and sliders when the sun hits, but just how safe are they?
Shoes with a thin sole or less than 10mm in thickness are classed as unsafe to drive in.
4. High heels
Your footwear should not limit your ankle movement.
Alastair Grier, Managing Director of CarMoney said: “If you are planning on driving somewhere where the dress code is smart, we recommend you take a change of sensible shoes for the car ride”.
According to the RAC, 40% of women have admitted to driving in high heels. Although they may look classy, high heels are simply not practical for the pedals.
5. Slippers
If your slippers are open-backed, they are highly likely to be unsafe to drive in due to your feet likely to slip out when using the pedals.
Mr Grier said: “If your shoes do not provide enough grip to stop your foot from slipping off the pedals then they are classed as unsafe.”
As tempting as it might be to keep your slippers on if you're only nipping out for a quick trip, the chances are it's not safe.
6. Chunky boots
Although at first glance they would seem fine, drivers should reconsider before getting behind the wheel in a pair of chunky boots.
Mr Grier said: “Footwear when driving should be narrow enough that it cannot accidentally touch two pedals at once.”
7. Sunglasses
Depending on the glass in your sunglasses, they could actually be too dark to drive in safely, according to the AA.
Your peripheral vision can also be affected by wearing sunglasses when driving due to the frames blocking your vision.
Sun visors were invented for the very purpose of allowing you to see the road clearly on a sunny day, so it’s best to use them when needed.
The advice to remember in order to stay safe is to:
- Always keep a practical pair of footwear on hand in order to drive safely in.
- Have spare clothing items if your current outfit falls into any of the seven categories listed above.
- Use your common sense: if what you’re wearing makes your drive uncomfortable, it’s probably a sign that you should change into something more practical.
