For most of us we rely on the 3 second rule to determine the safe distance to travel behind another car. This rule allows for both reaction time and the time to stop the car.
However, those of you with an interested in maths you can calculate the stopping distance using the NSW Government calculator .
Our Defensive Driving Course increases awareness of the impact of road conditions, vehicle dynamics and other considerations when attempting to stop a moving vehicle.
Check out the ACT Police article on stopping distances which looks at the following scenario:
You have a modern vehicle with good brakes and tyres. A child runs onto the road 45 metres ahead of you while you are travelling in a 60km/hour zone. You brake hard. Will you stop in time? The example looks at both dry and wet conditions.
The results are:
Dry conditions
A vehicle travelling at 60km/hour will travel approximately 45 metres before coming to a complete stop.
A vehicle travelling at this speed could either just miss or just hit the child.
Wet Conditions
A vehicle travelling at 60km/hour will travel approximately 54 metres before coming to a complete stop.
A vehicle travelling at this speed would hit the child at 32km/hour
The importance of adjusting your driving to suit prevailing conditions can not be overstated!