We get it—your vehicle is your happy place. After a long day, it can be tempting to kick off your shoes before getting behind the wheel. Lucky for you, driving barefoot is legal in all 50 states—but that doesn’t mean that all 50 states recommend it.

While it’s legal to drive without shoes, most states attach specific penalties to accidents caused by barefoot drivers. We're here to walk you through all there is to know about barefoot driving where you live—including in the Keystone State.

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Is it illegal to drive barefoot in Pennsylvania?

No—it‘s perfectly legal to drive barefoot In Pennsylvania.

In the summer of 1994, a man named Jason Heimbaugh wrote to the DMV in every state. His question: is it illegal to drive barefoot? The replies surprised Jason in their uniformity—there were no laws penalizing drivers without shoes anywhere in the US.

Socially, we’ve accepted shoes as a requirement for most everyday activities. You need to have your heels covered at work, shops, or restaurants. It would make sense if the same applied to driving, but barefoot driving laws have always been a myth.

Legal doesn’t necessarily mean safe, though. Pennsylvania law enforcement officers can still charge you with reckless driving if they can prove barefoot driving caused an accident.

MORE:

Pennsylvania car insurance laws

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Is it safe to drive barefoot?

While driving barefoot in every US state is legal, shoes are certainly a recommendation. Why? Barefoot driving can be unsafe because of its ability to decrease the driver's control.

Here are the main ways ditching shoes can impact your driving:

Barefoot driving decreases your braking force

Bare feet have less traction and can slip

Bare feet can be a distraction for some drivers

Serious injury to your feet will be more likely during an accident

Risk aside, driving with shoes will always be a recommendation that prioritizes function over fashion. Are your only other options to wear high heels or flips flops? You may be safer driving with your bare soles.

Regardless of how you drive, keep in mind the impact your shoe choice can have on an accident, whether it be steep legal penalties or preventable injuries.

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