It is not illegal to drive barefoot in New York. There are no state or local laws that specifically prohibit operating a motor vehicle without shoes. If you are pulled over by law enforcement while driving barefoot, you will not be issued a citation simply for not wearing footwear.
However, while driving barefoot is legal, it is not necessarily recommended from a safety perspective. Driving without shoes can reduce your grip and control over the pedals, which may increase the risk of an accident, especially if your feet are wet or if you are not accustomed to the feel of the pedals without shoes. Some experts note that shoes help distribute pressure more evenly and provide better control, making driving generally safer.
From a legal liability standpoint, if you are involved in an accident while driving barefoot and it is determined that your lack of footwear contributed to the incident—such as your foot slipping off the brake pedal—you could be found partially at fault. In New York, which follows a “pure comparative fault” rule, any damages you might recover in a lawsuit could be reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to you for driving barefoot…