Stopping Distances

This lesson covers:

  1. What factors affect the stopping distance of a moving vehicle
Illustration showing a car approaching an obstruction with a clock indicating reaction time.

'Stopping distance' is the total distance a car travels from the moment when the driver first notices an obstruction, to when the car stops.

Stopping distance equals:

Vehicle distance + braking distance

Thinking distance + braking distance

Vehicle distance + thinking distance

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Which of the following will slow a person's reaction time?

(Select all that apply)

Consuming alcohol

Being distracted

Icy road surface

Tiredness

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Illustration of a brake disc showing perforations and caliper.

Which of the following will increase the braking distance?

(Select all that apply)

Ice on the road

Worn brakes

Worn tyre tread

Being drunk

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A vehicle drives twice as fast.


What happens to the breaking distance?

The breaking distance halves

The breaking distance stays the same

The breaking distance doubles

The breaking distance increases by four times

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Which factor affects both the thinking distance and the braking distance?

Speed of the vehicle 

Road conditions 

Reaction time

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