Motorists face a whopping £5,000 fine for wearing very ordinary shoes

DRIVERS could be hit with a staggering £5,000 fine for just wearing those ordinary shoes behind the wheel.

Although sneakers are very popular footwear, they could get you in trouble with the police if they interfere with your ability to drive.

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Certain designer sneakers aren’t best for driving around in a car, experts say, and could put the wearer on the wrong side of the law and face a large financial penalty and points on their driver’s license.

There are rules about what type of clothing, particularly shoes and legwear, can be worn by motorists, including Rule 97 of the Highway Code, which states that before you get into your car, you must ensure that your clothing and shoes are not on you prevent the controls from working properly.

Ignoring this rule could result in a driver being fined a “driving without due care and attention” offense if seen by a police officer.

The legislation aims to ensure that people can use the pedals and other controls correctly while driving.

The offense itself comes with a fixed fine of £100 and three points on your driving license – with the option to take a special driving course instead, at the officer’s discretion.

But if the expensive trainers get you to drive dangerously, the same penalty applies and there’s a chance your case will be referred to the judiciary.

Should this happen, it could result in a fine of up to £5,000 and nine points on your license – or even a total driving ban.

According to the Driving Standards Agency, your driving shoes should:

• Have a sole no thicker than 10mm
• The sole should not be too thin or soft
• Provide enough support to prevent your foot from slipping off the pedals.
• Don’t be too heavy
• Do not restrict ankle movement
• Be tight enough to avoid accidentally pressing two pedals at the same time

And don’t even think about slipping on a pair of flip-flops before heading out onto the open road, because the rule clearly states that shoes with a sole thickness of less than 10mm are “unsafe” for riding.

High heels also lure you toward a nasty fine, although about 40 percent of women admit to driving in them.

But high heels aren’t practical for pushing down the pedals, as the heel can get pinched underneath.

This can also prevent the driver from fully depressing the pedal, which is essential when braking in an emergency.

Chunky boots can also take a big chunk out of your bank account – because while these look ideal, they can result in the rider touching more than one pedal at a time.

Instead, motorists were advised to have a pair of appropriate driving shoes in the car.

Alastair Grier, managing director of CarMoney, said: “If you are planning to drive somewhere where the dress code is smart, we recommend that you bring sensible shoes for the drive.”

Sunglasses with lenses that are too dark or chunky frames also cast a shadow on your finances if you are caught driving in an inappropriate pair.

Because although they are an essential eye protection accessory, some styles can limit vision while driving.

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