Stopping distances

• What is stopping distance in the context of vehicles?


  The minimum distance required to stop a vehicle in an emergency
• What is the formula for total stopping distance?


  Total stopping distance is equal to thinking distance plus braking distance
• What are the components of stopping distance?


  • Thinking distance: distance traveled during driver's reaction time
  • Braking distance: distance taken to stop after brakes are applied
• What affects thinking distance?

  The speed of the vehicle and the driver's reaction time
• How does speed affect thinking distance?


  Higher speed increases thinking distance
• What factors can increase a driver's reaction time?

  Being tired, drunk, on drugs, or distracted
• What is braking distance?


  The distance taken to stop under the braking force
• What factors affect braking distance?


  The speed and mass of the vehicle, and the condition of the brakes
• How does the condition of brakes affect braking distance?


  Worn or faulty brakes reduce stopping power, increasing braking distance
• How does road condition affect braking distance?


  Wet or icy roads reduce friction, increasing braking distance
• What happens if tires are bald?


  Bald tires cannot grip the road well, increasing stopping distance
• How does speed impact stopping distance?


  • Thinking distance increases proportionally with speed
  • Braking distance increases more quickly than expected:
  • Doubling speed increases braking distance four-fold
  • Tripling speed increases braking distance nine-fold
• What does the graph of total stopping distance against speed look like?


  The graph is not a straight line; it gets steeper as speed increases
• What is the key takeaway regarding speed and stopping distance?


  Traveling fast significantly increases the time required to stop