The Bare Basics of Driving Naked - is it Illegal?

Questions, answered

• Can you drive naked?

• Where can I find the public decency laws for my state?

• What’s the most important thing I should do when driving naked?

Leave it to the state of Florida to make headlines for naked driving. In September, 2021, a man was arrested in Orlando for driving naked through toll booths. Apparently, he drove through seven toll booths on three different days -- wearing his birthday suit the whole time.¹

You might logically conclude from this story that driving naked is illegal. The thing is, that's not the case. You can drive naked in any U.S. state without violating any laws. And that means the naked toll booth driver could have prevented his own arrest by making better choices. Read on for a closer look at what he did wrong, and how you can avoid the same fate.

Is driving naked illegal?

Reader's Digest and many legal sites report that there are no state laws that prohibit driving without your clothes on.² However, it would be misleading to say that driving while naked is definitively legal. The tricky part is that driving naked puts you at risk of violating public decency laws. 

Every state has its own rules on public nudity. In more conservative states, like Arizona, it's illegal to expose your nether regions, front and back, to another person in public. Women additionally must keep their nipples under wraps, unless they're breastfeeding. 

By contrast, the statutes in Colorado are more situational. You can't have sex in public, fondle yourself or anyone else, or expose yourself when it's likely to be offensive to another person. 

Generally, the severity of the charge increases if you expose yourself to a child. Doing so can escalate a misdemeanor public indecency charge to a felony sex crime. 

So, what does all this mean? Legally, you can drive naked -- but to stay out of trouble, you must take precautions to ensure no one sees anything they shouldn't. 

Best practices for driving naked 

These best practices for driving naked can keep you comfortable and minimize your chances of violating public decency regulations.

1. Check the nudity laws in your state 

Before you set off on a naked road trip, get familiar with the nudity laws in your state. As a starting point, check the state-by-state summary at HG.org. Then double check your state's statutes, just to verify nothing has changed recently. 

You can find state law on websites like Lawserver.com or FindLaw.com. Search by the statute number specifically or with phrases like "indecent exposure" or "public lewdness." 

2. Fill up first 

Plan ahead by filling up on gas and packing snacks. You don't want to be stuck roadside with an empty tank, nor do you want to pop into a gas station or drive-through with no clothes on.

3. Drive conservatively 

This should be obvious but do your best to avoid traffic violations while driving naked. If you get pulled over and the officer asks you to step outside the car, you could be cited for indecent exposure. 

Being involved in an accident may be even more awkward, on several levels. You'd have to slip something on quickly before you exchange license and registration with another driver. But if you're hurt, you may not be able to. The lack of clothing could also lead to extra injuries, such as seatbelt burns. 

4. Choose your routes wisely 

If a child sees you driving in the nude and reports you, you could face serious charges with lasting consequences. 

Minimize the possibility of that happening by choosing your routes wisely. Avoid highly trafficked areas, family destinations, and neighborhoods with schools. Ideally, you'd drive in remote areas on two-lane roads -- where there's little chance of people passing you closely enough to get a good look.

5. Have a cover-up within arm's reach

Since you can't prevent accidents, traffic stops, and breakdowns, prepare for them. Have an appropriate article of clothing within arm's reach at all times. Ideally, the garment is something you can throw on fast that will cover your sensitive areas. For guys, that might be a pair of shorts. 

For girls, a t-shirt dress would work -- just in case you live in a state that requires you to cover your top half, too. 

6. Don't put the top down  

As appealing as it might be to drive naked with your convertible top down, it's probably too risky. Having the top down greatly increases the chances that others on the road, both drivers and passengers, will see more than they should. 

7. Manage the seat material 

Neither cloth or leather seats are ideal for nude drivers. Cloth will absorb sweat and leather can get hot on your skin. To avoid any irritation (or staining of your seats), bring a folded cotton towel to sit on. That should keep your skin and your seats dry.

8. Wear sunscreen

Your parts shouldn't be too exposed to sunshine, but your left arm and shoulder might be. Give yourself a good layer of sunscreen so you don't end up with odd tan lines. 

9. Wear shoes 

According to The Zebra, there are no state laws that prohibit you from driving without shoes. But driving with a fitted shoe can be a worthwhile safety precaution, especially if you choose to leave the rest of your body uncovered. A shoe makes for more even and solid contact with your brake and gas pedals. That could prevent a slip that keeps you from braking quickly. 

Drive naked, but take precautions 

Orlando's now infamous naked toll booth driver went wrong by driving naked repeatedly through the toll booths. Booth operators observed his behavior and, importantly, were bothered by it. Hence, his arrest. 

Here's what it comes down to: Drive naked if you want but do it where no one's likely to see you. The moment your nudity offends someone else is the moment you should start worrying about potential legal trouble.