Thinking & Braking Distances Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

What is the thinking distance of a vehicle?

The distance the vehicle travels during the driver's reaction time, before the brakes are applied.

What is the braking distance of a vehicle?

The distance the vehicle travels under the braking force, from the brakes being applied until it stops.

True or false? Thinking distance is the distance travelled while the brakes are being applied.

False. That is the braking distance; thinking distance is travelled during the driver's reaction time, before braking starts.

What are the steps to calculate thinking distance?
e.g. a car travels at $20$ m/s and the driver's reaction time is $0.5$ s

1. Use thinking distance $=$ speed $\times$ reaction time
2. $20 \times 0.5 = 10$ m

True or false? Increasing the speed of a vehicle increases both its thinking distance and its braking distance.

True. A faster vehicle travels further during the reaction time and needs a longer distance to stop for a given braking force.