Can You Legally Drive Barefoot in Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin?

Admit it. It's okay. We've all been driving our vehicles at one point in time and have done something that made us think: "was that legal?" This could mean making a right on red without being completely sure there wasn't a sign prohibiting it. It could mean driving with our dome-light on. It could mean any number of things.

Most of the time, these are simple infractions, if they even are at all. However, with warmer months ahead, this question always seems to get proposed: "is it legal to drive barefoot?" 

When Would You Drive Barefoot?:

I confess that I've never driven barefoot before, but I could see one particular instance in which it would be a potentially safer bet. Say you're wearing sandals or flip flops, and one of the soles keeps getting caught underneath the pedals. Even heels would be cumbersome and potentially dangerous. It would unquestionably be safer to drive barefoot than risk causing an accident.

At the same time, however, driving barefoot just seems utterly gross to me. Maybe you're on vacation in a Margaritaville-state-of-mind where footwear is completely optional. However, I just can't help but think of all the dirt and grime that's been built up on my gas and brake pedals over the last decade.

Is It Illegal to Drive Barefoot in Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin?:

So, is it illegal to drive barefoot in Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin? The short answer is: no, it's not. In fact, driving barefoot is not illegal in any of the 50 states. That's something I didn't expect. However, that still doesn't mean you should do it.

Per the website SuperLawyers.com, while many states don't have statutory language on the matter in any capacity, some states have noted safety hazards and risk of personal injury when driving barefoot.

Now, let's say you are driving barefoot and get into an accident. The fact that you were barefoot at the time of the accident "can be a legally operative fact in criminal reckless driving cases or civil suits," according to SuperLawyers.com.

Illinois and Wisconsin Have Been Quiet on the Matter:

Shockingly, the act of driving barefoot is not mentioned in any piece of Illinois or Wisconsin legislature. Iowa, however, has taken a stance. While it's not illegal, the state is basically saying, in so many words, "it's frowned upon:"

It is not illegal to drive while barefoot, but the state condemns the act as unsafe. - Iowa's legislature on driving barefoot, per SuperLawyers.com

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For more information on the legalities of driving barefoot in all 50 states, visit Super Lawyers' website. While you're at it, also look at how Iowa's laws on betting on sporting drafts differ from nearly every other state.