Driving test Australia: Huge debate over questions

Huge row over whether you can drive BAREFOOT or in thongs in Australia – so do you know the rule?

A basic road rule question has stumped countless drivers on social media
Hills Police Local Area Command asked can you drive barefoot or in thongs
A number of people were quick to state it’s not illegal, others openly disagreed

By Andrew Prentice For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 20:28 EST, 2 March 2022 | Updated: 20:28 EST, 2 March 2022

Debate is raging online over whether it is legal to drive barefoot or in thongs in Australia.

Hills Police Local Area Command, based in Sydney’s north-west, posed the road rule question on their Facebook page – and it didn’t take long for a flurry of responses to follow on social media.

Some drivers were adamant they knew the correct answer – others weren’t so sure.

‘Yes. There is no law on what to wear on your feet while driving,’ one person confidently said.

After a representative from Hills District Local Area Command asked whether it is legal or illegal to drive in NSW barefoot or on thongs, debate raged on social media (stock image)

Some commented on social media driving in thongs in NSW was legal – others disagreed (stock image)

FOOTWEAR DRIVING RULES

There are no laws in any Australian state or territory dictating what a person wears on their feet while driving, if anything at all.

Appropriate footwear is highly recommended.

Source: NRMA

A second agreed, stating ‘Legally, yes you can. I won’t ever do it again personally after one slipped off one time, got caught behind the brake and prevented me from applying the brake properly.’

A third was of a different opinion, believing the answer was no, ‘as driving barefoot or in thongs results in the driver not having complete control of their vehicle.’

Another suggested no as it ‘would be dangerous’.

According to the NRMA website, it is not against the law to drive in thongs, but appropriate footwear is highly recommended.

‘There is currently no legislation requiring a driver to wear or not to wear footwear whilst driving a motor vehicle,’ the organisation confirms online.

‘Wearing high heel shoes, stilettos, thongs, or any other footwear that could cause you to lose control of the vehicle is a bad idea.

‘If an accident was to occur and it was found that the cause of the accident was due to inappropriate or lack of footwear, an offence under Rule 297 of the Road Rules 2014 (driving without proper control of vehicle) could be applied.’