A few of my adult driving students from other countries are in the habit of driving barefoot. While I don’t think it’s illegal, I ask them to keep their shoes on because in an emergency requiring a quick stop, they will tend to use more force if they have shoes on. What do you think?

I can confirm your legal intuition; driving barefoot is not a violation of the law. Normally I’d clarify that I’m referencing Washington law, but that’s true in all 50 states. However, regular readers will recognize a recurring theme here: legal is not synonymous with good idea.

I appreciate that this is coming from a driving instructor. I’m well-versed in traffic law, but not so much the actual teaching practices at a driving school. I checked around, and many other driving instructors also recommended wear

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