Stopping Distances

Stopping Distances

The stopping distance in an emergency situation for someone driving a car is the amount of time taken from when they see the emergency, to them stopping completely.

The equation for stopping distance is:

    Stopping Distance = Thinking Distance + Braking Distance

The thinking distance is how far the car travels during the drivers reaction time. This meaning it is the amount of time between the driver seeing the emergency and applying the brakes. The breaking distance is the distance between when the driver applies the brakes and the car comes to a halt.

Thinking distance can be affected by:

    - Your speed

    - Your reaction…