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Which of these crazy driving laws are actually real?

Test your knowledge

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By Susan Meyer Info icon
Updated October 11, 2024
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Susan Meyer

Senior Editorial Manager

Susan is a licensed insurance agent and has worked as a writer and editor for over 10 years across a number of industries. She has worked at The Zebr…

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
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Ross Martin

Insurance Writer

Ross joined The Zebra as a writer and researcher in 2019. He specializes in writing insurance content to help shoppers make informed decisions.

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  • 5+ years in the Insurance Industry
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  1. Blindfolded in Alabama
  2. Horns in Arkansas
  3. California and ladies in bathrobes
  4. Florida animals and parking meters
  5. Running out of gas in Ohio

There are a lot of laws around driving for a reason. They keep people safe when barreling down the road inside a two-ton block of metal and flammable material. And they generally keep traffic flowing smoothly when followed correctly.

From wearing your seatbelt to buying liability insurance, most of the laws around driving don’t need a lot of explanation. But then there are the weird ones. 

Search "strange driving laws" and you'll find a plethora of oddities from "Missouri forbids you from honking someone else's horn" to "You must give the right away to geese in Utah."[1] But go down the rabbit hole of state driving laws, and you'll find many of these claims are false or exaggerated. But some really do exist. 

Read on to learn which of these laws are misleading and which are really true. 

Is it illegal to drive with a blindfold on in Alabama?

A number of sources cite that it’s illegal to drive with a blindfold in Alabama. Which is both a very logical safety statement and also ludicrous to have to put into law. So is it truly on the books in Alabama?

No, but yes

We're going to say this one is false. I mean, it's true that you can't drive with a blindfold on in Alabama, but that's also true in all 50 states under the blanket of various reckless driving laws. The actual law that may have spurred this myth into being states: “No person shall drive a vehicle when there are in the front seat such a number of persons as to obstruct the view of the driver to the front or sides of the vehicle or as to interfere with the driver's control over the driving mechanism of the vehicle.”[2] So nothing about an actual blindfolded person, only fairly standards and reasonable restrictions on not having too many people or anything blocking the driver.

Is it illegal to honk your horn at a drive-in in Arkansas?

According to several sources, Arkasnas law forbids you from honking your car horn at a restaurant (some say drive-in and others specify a sandwich shop). Some also state that this cannot occur specifically after 9 p.m. Before you lay on the horn at that person who's taking forever to order in front of you, do you think it's true? 

Yes!

At least in parts of Arkansas. While no state-wide law exists, in Little Rock there are provisions around "conduct in drive-in restaurants" which concludes that it is: "unlawful for any other person parked on the premises of a drive-in restaurant, to blow or cause to be blown any automobile horn or motorcycle horn at any time while parked." Apparently this does include sandwich and ice cream shops.

Even more interesting is a separate specific provision that states: "No person shall sound the horn on a vehicle at any place where cold drinks or sandwiches are served after 9:00 p.m."[3]

Is it illegal for women in California to drive in bathrobes?

According to some sources, California has a dress code when it comes to driving. And one that only applies to women. Supposedly through some antiquated law, it is illegal for women to drive in a bathrobe. But is it?

Nope!

As far as we can find, there's no truth to this one either. No laws can be found in California's motor vehicle code. And, as this source which did a deep dive on the subject points out: such a law would likely run into federal anti-discrimination laws.[4] So, women of California, continue to drive in robes, as you see fit. On a similar topic, we also have a resource on where it is legal to drive topless. 

Is an elephant tied to a parking meter charged the same amount as a car in Florida?

Supposedly, there's an old law in Florida that still exists today that states that you cannot leave an elephant tied at a parking meter without paying the parking meter fee. While this likely won't come up for the average Floridian, is there truth to it?

Nope!

Yet again, this one is false. There may have been a case for it in the past in a localized capacity as John Ringling of Ringling Brothers Circus fame did move the business to winter in Sarasota in 1927. Apparently, elephants were used to build a causeway in St. Armand's Circle. Parking meters also date from shortly after this time in the 1930s. That said, a reporter consulted with the Orlando Police and Florida Statutes to determine that, at least within the last decade, there is no statewide law around elephants and parking meters.[5]

Is it illegal to run out of gas in Ohio?

No one wants to run out of gas. The inconvience alone! But is it something you can actually get a ticket over? Supposedly in Ohio, you can. What do you think?

Yes!

This one is true, at least in parts of Ohio. Youngstown, for example, has ordinances around sufficient fuel required in congested areas. Running out of fuel in these areas is minor misdemenor on the first offense.[6]

Wrapping up

Wherever you live, it's a good idea to learn the laws that apply when you're out on the road. After all, traffic tickets not only lead to fines, but can also raise your insurance rates significantly. 

Sources

  1. Every state's weirdest driving law. [BMW]

  2. Alabama Code Title 32. Motor Vehicles and Traffic § 32-5A-53. [FindLaw]

  3. Section 18-54. [Little Rock Code of Ordinances]

  4. Does California have a dress code for drivers? [Skeptics]

  5. Does Florida have a weird law about elephants and parking meters? [Spectrum News 13]

  6. Safety standards in Youngtown. [American Legal Publishing]