Is it illegal to drive in your Pyjamas?

24th August 2020

It’s something we’ve all done before. A Saturday morning rush to drop your son off for his football match or maybe a quick pick up from your daughter’s dance class? Many of us are guilty of this and some do it more often than they should but is driving in your pyjamas actually illegal? Don’t worry as we are here to settle this argument once and for all! So is it really illegal to drive in your Pyjamas?

Well….. the short answer is no. No, it isn’t illegal to drive in your pyjamas. However, you do need to be careful that you are driving safely by wearing the correct clothing and footwear. Rule 97 of the highway code states that ‘Drivers should wear footwear and clothing that does not prevent them correctly using controls.’. This means that if you’re thinking of wearing slippers or a heavy dressing gown in the driving seat then we are sorry to say that it may not be the best idea to do so as this can restrict movement.

(FYI: We also spoke about this rule in episode 2 of the theory time podcast!)

But, If you’re ever pulled over for driving without due care and attention, you could be hit with a £100 on the spot fine, and in more severe cases a maximum fine of up to £5,000! If you think that driving in your pyjamas in any way affects or inhibits your driving, you should avoid doing so! Driving in your pyjamas may cause you to feel sleepy at the wheel or lose control of the pedals due to inappropriate footwear, so please be careful. However, if you’re a regular pyjama driver and find that it does not affect your driving whatsoever, you carry on doing your thing! Because who doesn’t love a late-night pyjama trip to the drive-thru?