Man rings 999 to ask if he can wear flip flops when driving

West Yorkshire Police Contact Management Centre team tweeted their disbelief at the call on Wednesday, May 15.

They said it was one of the worst calls they have ever had.

The team said: "Well this has to be one of the worst we've ever had.

"Just had a 999 call and a male asking is it alright to wear flip flops whilst driving...... This actually happened... #Not999."

Other calls the team have had today include two calls about wasps and one complaining about their mobile phone repair.

But are drivers allowed to wear flip flops when driving?

Replying to a twitter user who asked that question, the team said: "In a nutshell: it is not illegal to drive in the UK without shoes on and the same applies for wearing flip flops - there is a catch though.

"You can get behind the wheel of a vehicle barefoot or while wearing flip flops, provided you are able to operate the controls safely."

So while it is not illegal to wear flip-flips, problems can arise from this type of footwear as it may stop people having proper control over their vehicle.

The RAC states that driving barefoot can be an issue if a drivers feet are wet, for example, which would hinder their ability to operate the controls safely.

The Driving Standards Agency, which regulates UK driving tests, states: "We would not recommend driving barefoot because you don not have the same braking force with bare feet as you do with shoes on."

The RAC website states: “This does technically categorise some types of footwear such as high-heels and flip-flops unsuitable for piloting a car.

“While light, flimsy and impractical footwear can be dangerous, so can sturdy, robust shoes, such as walking or snow boots.

“It is important to have a good base and grip to apply pressure to the pedals, but you need a certain degree of finesse to manipulate the controls. If not, you could strike the brake and accelerator together, producing a heart-in-mouth incident.”

Footwear tips from the RAC:

Have a sole no thicker than 10mm

But the sole should not be too thin or soft.

Provide enough grip to stop your foot slipping off the pedals.

Footwear should not be too heavy or limit ankle movement.

It should be narrow enough to avoid accidentally depressing two pedals at once.