A 2-minute lesson from the South Carolina course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
A vehicle doesn't stop the instant you see danger. First you notice, then you react, then the brakes work. Every part adds distance, and all of it grows with speed.
Total stopping distance
The distance your vehicle travels, in ideal conditions, from the moment you realize you must stop until it actually stops.
At 50 mph a child's ball rolls into the road. Up to a second passes before you realize it's a hazard, up to another second before your foot reaches the brake, and then braking alone can take about 158 feet on dry pavement.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
Total stopping distance includes perception time, reaction time, and:
Signal time
Braking distance
Idle time
Acceleration distance
Answer: Braking distance
Total stopping distance is made up of perception time, reaction time, and braking distance.