Answer:
In an emergency, a driver must bring their vehicle to a stop in the shortest distance possible.
Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance
This is when: Â thinking distance is the distance a vehicle travels in the time it takes for the driver to apply the brakes after realizing they need to stop .
braking distance is the distance a vehicle travels in the time after the driver has applied the brake .
Reaction times vary from person to person, but are typically 0.2 seconds (s) to 0.9 s. A driver's reaction time can be affected by:
-tiredness
-drugs
-alcohol
-distractions
Longer reaction times increase the thinking distance when stopping from a given speed.
There are different ways to measure reaction times. One simple method involves dropping a ruler between someone's open thumb and forefinger. The further the ruler falls before being stopped, the higher the reaction time of the person grabbing the ruler. The ruler can be marked in s rather than in mm.
