We’ll take a look at everything you need to consider when rolling to a stop on the road.
What’s braking distance?
Your braking distance is how far you go in the time it takes your car to come to a complete stop after you hit the brakes
What’s more, your braking distance isn’t a static number. It can change based on how fast you’re driving. In fact, when your driving speed doubles, your braking distance quadruples!
That said, there are ways to reduce your braking distance. For instance, if you’re giving your brakes and tires the TLC they need, your braking distance can decrease.
You may be thinking that all you need to do is factor in some extra time for braking distance – maybe a little extra to accommodate weather conditions – and you’ll be safe. Right?
Wrong.
There's thinking distance, too.
Thinking distance is how far you go in the time it takes you to register a threat and then actually hit the brakes. While this is measured in mere seconds, a split second can mean the difference between a collision and a near miss.
Under normal circumstances, the time it takes a driver to get their foot to the brake pedal is relatively short.
But if you’re tired, upset, or distracted by any means your thinking time will be much longer, endangering yourself and other drivers.
If you want to accurately calculate your total braking distance or stopping distance, you’ll need to use the following formula:
Total Stopping Time = Thinking Distance (TD) + Braking Distance (BD)
