Stopping distances

Question 1

What is stopping distance?

Answer 1

• The minimum distance required to stop a vehicle in an emergency

Question 2

What is the total stopping distance equal to?

Answer 2

• The sum of the total thinking distance and total braking distance

Question 3

What is the thinking distance?

Answer 3

• The distance that the car travels during the drivers reaction time
• The distance the car travels between the driver seeing the hazard and the driver applying the brakes

Question 4

What is the braking distance?

Answer 4

• The distance taken to stop under the braking force
• How far the car travels after the brakes have been applied

Question 5

What factors affect thinking distance?

Answer 5

• Speed of vehicle: the faster the car, the harder to spot hazards
• Reaction time: how long it takes the driver to react to the hazard
• Reaction time could be effected by how tired the driver is, if they are under the influence, if it is dark, etc

Question 6

What factors affect braking distance?

Answer 6

• Speed of vehicle
• Mass of vehicle
• Condition / quality of brakes
• Condition of road: traction between car and road

Question 7

What happens to the braking distance if the speed increases?

Answer 7

• The braking distance increases exponentially