At Farthings Dry cleaners, we always have our customers' best interests at heart.
Recently some laws have been updated concerning items of clothing when driving. If you are unaware of these changes, please read on; you could find yourself in hot water, with a fine - £100 - £5000, Up to 9 points or even a driving ban. None of us wants that to happen!
1- Chunky boots / Shoes
Now you may have been driving a while in your Chunky footwear? Completely unaware of the changes in the law. The reason being is that if the boot/shoe should accidentally touch both the pedals at the same time, you could find yourself being handed a fine.
2- Slippers
If your slippers have no grip on the sole or are backless, you could have problems with your feet slipping on the pedals. If you were to be in an accident and found to be wearing these types of slippers, you could expect a fine, if not more.
3- Flipflops / Sliders
Most of us enjoy the summer and can’t wait to get out of our heavy winter shoes. But please bear this in mind. ALL soles should be 10mm thick or more. Any less than this will be deemed as unsuitable and classed as unsafe to drive in.
4- Very baggy jeans/Joggers/Trousers
So, you may of noticed this fashion back in the day? Well... It's back! Just for the same reasons as stated above, you could be penalised.
5- High Heels
No footwear should hinder your ankle movement when driving. Always drive in a suitable pair of shoes, then change once you have arrived at your destination; high heels just aren’t practical.
6- A long skirt or dress
Long skirts and maxi dresses are lovely to wear but be careful if driving in these items. The skirt/dress (because of the length) could easily get caught up on the pedals. Even your footwear could get entangled, all restricting complete control of the car. If caught, this could land you a fine and penalty points.
7- Sunglasses
This depends on how dark the glass is in the sunglasses. According to the AA – If too dark, it can impair your vision as to dark to drive. So, if you’re unsure, use the sun visor fitted in the car already. That is what they were designed for, so it’s always better to use that.
Three tips for us all to keep in mind:
- Keep another pair of footwear on hand to drive safely in.
- Keep some spare clothing items in your car if your current outfit falls into any of these categories.
- If what you’re wearing makes your drive uncomfortable, it’s probably a sign that you should change into something more practical.