Bronx Car Accident Attorney Glenn A. Herman Discusses The Legality Behind Driving Barefoot In NYC
In New York, the law requires drivers to operate their vehicles in a safe manner in order to protect themselves, other drivers, and pedestrians. In addition to this general requirement, there are specific rules that must be followed when driving on the roads of New York to ensure that drivers manage distractions and avoid negligence while behind the wheel.
It is a common misconception that driving without shoes is illegal. While there is no specific law prohibiting any kind of footwear or lack thereof while behind the wheel, it can still result in a driver being held liable for an accident.
In this article, Bronx car accident attorneys Glenn and Robin Herman discuss the legality of driving barefoot and how it can affect liability in personal injury cases.
New York State has no laws requiring that drivers wear shoes or other footwear while they drive, nor are there any laws on the books prohibiting barefoot driving or wearing a specific kind of footwear when you drive. It is therefore legal to drive barefoot, but that doesn't mean that barefoot drivers can't be held liable for damages if being barefoot causes them to drive negligently.
Drivers are expected to maintain a duty of care while behind the wheel, which means that they are obligated to drive with regard for the safety of pedestrians, passengers, and other motorists on the road, and avoid actions that may cause harm to others. Because driving barefoot or while wearing just socks gives drivers less control over the pedals, it can lead to negligent driving. In other words, while driving barefoot itself isn’t considered negligent, it can cause a driver to behave negligently. For example, it isn’t illegal to drink hot coffee while driving in New York, but if you were to spill hot coffee on yourself, swerve, and hit another vehicle, that action would be considered negligent. Similarly, driving with wet, bare feet right after visiting a public pool would not be illegal, but rear-ending someone because you could not brake properly with wet feet would be negligent and you would likely be considered at fault for the accident.
It is unknown how many accidents are caused by barefoot driving, but it's certainly a factor that could contribute to an accident. If you want to stay safe on the road, you should always wear shoes with good grip and traction when you're behind the wheel.
Even in a car accident where your actions did not reasonably contribute to the crash, such as someone running a red light and hitting you at an intersection, the responsible party’s insurance company may use details such as footwear as evidence to hold you partially responsible. For this reason, it is not a good idea to drive without shoes or with footwear such as backless sandals, slides, or high heels that can contribute to unsafe driving.
Our Bronx car accident attorneys take the time to learn every aspect of your case during our initial meeting in order to properly evaluate the full extent of the damages you or a loved one have suffered. We have been representing seriously injured New Yorkers for over 35 years. Born, raised, and living in the City, we know that when you have been injured in this town, you need an attorney to protect your rights and explain the law to you in a way you can understand.
For a no-charge consultation today to discuss the details of your injury event: https://hermannyc.com/free-case-consultation/
We represent clients in all five boroughs of New York (NY): Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, along with Suffolk County & Nassau County on Long Island, Westchester County, Rockland County, and throughout the entire state of New York.
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