Day 5: How Quickly Can Your Car Stop?

You may know how quickly your car goes from 0-60, but do you know how long – and how far - it takes to go from 60 to a full stop?

For the average car traveling at 70 miles per hour, it takes 315 feet to stop after you apply the brakes.

That’s just the braking distance. You also must factor in reaction distance – that’s the time it takes you to 1) recognize that you need to stop and 2) move your foot from the accelerator to the brake! Driving at 70 mph, you’re passing 100 feet of roadway every second. In the 1.5 seconds it may take to notice a problem ahead, you’ve traveled 150 feet—or half a football field—before you even started braking.

Because total braking distance depends on these variables, plus much more, it’s important to stay at least three to four seconds behind the car in front of you.

To do so, locate a fixed object on the road ahead. When the car in front of you passes it, count the seconds until you pass that object. It should be four seconds in normal conditions and at least six in bad weather.

 
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Liberty Mutual - Professor Daves Tips for Safer Driving