wearing shoes that are too loose can be dangerous as they can impact the way you control your motor vehicle.  as the weather gets warmer us brits get out our flip flops.  but those of us who choose to drive in their summer shoes could find themselves in trouble if they're involved in an accident.  driving in flip flops is not illegal but wearing them could lead to a careless driving charge if they impact your ability to drive safely.  under rule 97 of the highway code, drivers are advised they must have footwear and clothing which does not prevent you using the controls in the correct manner.  flip flops could slip off your foot, become wedged under pedals or prevent you from pressing the pedals with enough force to brake quickly, which could cause you to drive erratically or even lead to a crash.  if you get stopped by police while driving in a dangerous manner or your footwear is a reason for an accident, you could be charged with driving without due care and attention careless driving.  the careless driving fine carries a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points on your licence.  if a more serious case, or it gets contested in court, the charge can attract a maximum £5,000 fine, up to nine penalty points and even a court-imposed driving ban.  a study by insurance brand ingenie previously found a huge 27 per cent of motorists could be risking this penalty as they wear flip flops behind the wheel.  rac's guidelines for suitable driving footwear according to the rac there are some guidelines for what footwear is suitable when driving: have a sole no thicker than 10mm, but the sole should not be too thin or soft.  provide enough grip to stop your foot slipping off the pedals.  not be too heavy.  not limit ankle movement.  be narrow enough to avoid accidentally depressing two pedals at once.  neil greig, iam roadsmart director of policy and research, told 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.”    make sure you wear the correct footwear to drive this summer.
be warned driving in flip flops can land you £5000 fine, 9 points and a ban!