ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions and shares tips about the rules of the road, helping Central Florida residents become better drivers by being better educated.
The most recent question received by Trooper Steve was submitted with a photo showing a driver’s left foot hanging outside the window.
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“Weather is getting hot, and I see a lot of this behavior on the road. This can’t be legal right?” the viewer asked.
The photo puzzled Trooper Steve.
“Why in the world anyone would want to operate a car in a physical position like this?” he asked. “We do things so often without thinking about the bigger picture and, ultimately, some of our actions are going to catch up to us.”
The picture was taken on I-4 near the Fairbanks Curve.
“If your foot stinks this bad, you may want to see a doctor before deciding to place it outside of a window,” Trooper Steve joked.
But is the move against the law in Florida?
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“I looked through several Florida laws and nothing specifically addresses a foot or hand outside of the vehicle,” he said. “What Florida law does talk about are things like riding on the exterior of a car or failing to maintain positive control of the vehicle.”
When a driver decides to put their foot outside of a window, they are technically obstructing the side view mirror, Trooper Steve said.
“And how much control of the vehicle do you have when you’re splitting your balance from the driver seat to the driver-side window?” he added. “I can scenario-play this all day and none of it ends well for you or your foot.”
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The big picture here is what happens if a crash occurs?
“I don’t mean to be completely graphic here, but think about the physical trauma that would occur if you were any type of serious crash,” Trooper Steve said. “Dislocations, major injuries or even death could occur.”
“I know I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to stare at your feet as I’m cruising down the road, and you might be doing your passengers a favor by doing this, but at the same time, think about your safety behind the wheel and keep your stinky feet in the car.”