Is it legal to drive barefoot in Ohio? What to know before getting behind the wheel
The answer, at least when it comes to the law? Yes, free those feet!
Drivers can legally drive barefoot in Ohio, as there is no Ohio Revised Code statute about it, said Sgt. Brice Nihiser, a public information officer with the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Beyond Ohio, driving barefoot is also legal in all 50 states, according to a USA TODAY report.
But just because it's legal doesn't mean it's the safest choice, Nihiser said.
"At the end of the day, your connection with the pedals and the other controls in the vehicle is what is guiding you down the road," he said. "What we would recommend is just wearing the appropriate footwear, the appropriate garments to make sure you're doing that safely."
That appropriate footwear would preferably be closed-toe shoes, he said. Nihiser said drivers should think about the kind of footwear they'd want to have on in case their caught in inclement weather, mud or some other hazardous condition.
"We're always going to recommend something that can obviously deal with those conditions," he said.
But at the end of the day, it's up to the individual driver's choice whether to drive in closed-toe shoes, flip-flops, their socks or barefoot, he said.
Can motorcyclists ride barefoot?
Motorcyclists are also not required to wear shoes, but Nihiser said the patrol recommends riders wear whatever gear they feel necessary to stay safe, including close-toed shoes, additional padding like jackets and helmets, which are proven to prevent injury and death.
"You're not necessarily dressing for the ride. You're dressing in the event that something goes wrong," he said. "At the end of the day, if you're involved in a crash on a motorcycle, you're less protected than you are in a vehicle, so taking the appropriate steps to ensure you have abrasion resistance, close-toed shoes and wearing a helmet is always going to make you safer than if you don't have those items."
Eastern Columbus suburbs reporter Maria DeVito can be reached at mdevito@dispatch.com and @mariadevito13.dispatch.com on Bluesky and @MariaDeVito13 on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Driving laws in Ohio: Can you drive barefoot? What to know
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