Questions and Answers for the UK drivers

THE HIGHWAY CODE

What is the Stopping and Braking Distance of a Car?

23/9/2014

54 Comments

The stopping distance will depend on your attention, the road surface, the weather conditions and your vehicle.

54 Comments

Ayanda

6/11/2017 19:17:05

Gee that helped a lot!🤯🤮

Harry Hyams

27/7/2020 18:27:30

What is the stopping distance for a bike?

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9/9/2020 15:32:22

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5/11/2020 09:59:25

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24/1/2018 10:45:56

This website reall helped me a lot, thank you for your support and aid through the

Isaac

9/5/2018 08:58:54

I need proper answers

Jon

17/9/2018 12:56:08

These published 'stopping distances' are exactly the same as when I learnt to drive 36 years ago. Although reaction times are unaltered, the braking distances have improved dramatically. The Highway Code needs to be updated

steve

13/11/2018 19:19:01

Not so - there are old cars on the road still.

Antti Ranta

11/3/2019 15:24:09

These stopping distances were based on vehicles fitted with crossply tyres and rear drum brakes. Even 'old' cars on the road now have radial tyres and disc brakes all round which improve braking performance considerably.

Dom

3/2/2022 18:42:08

Actually vehicles are now heavier than they used to be, so although the brakes and tyres have got better, heavier things take longer (more effort) to stop. Also, a significant proportion of this is thinking distance, which hasn't improved, if anything it is probably worse than when this was created. People also sometimes think that ABS on cars stops them quicker and it doesn't as it is designed to give the driver the power to steer so it actually locks and unlocks the brakes really quickly, whereas older car would skid and friction would build up.

These stopping distances can't account for everything though as people drive different ages of vehicles and specifications, so they are as good as a general picture as we can possibly get and still a fair enough representation. Something I have also tested on a track in a controlled environment....

But I am sure all the "top above average drivers" who would never crash their car because they are sooooo amazing, will have plenty of rubbish to say about this....keep believing the myths guys! Never mind the science, what does science, engineering and the laws of physics have to do with it LOL!

Andy

26/8/2022 11:31:23

The fact that the stopping distances havent changed means they are giving you more time in which to stop considering newer cars rather than cars 36yrs ago, so do you want them to reduce the required stopping distance? That doesn't make much sense.

Yash

11/3/2019 15:05:56

I agree with Isaac, this is a load of shite

Martin Evans link

13/2/2021 19:51:41

Anti - depends what you mean by 'old' doesn't it? I reckon there are plenty of classic cars on UK roads with drum brakes all round and some still use cross-ply tyres.

The point is the HWC stopping distances are just a guide and if we all drove with that in mind we'd all benefit - things like smoothness, less wear and tear, improved fuel consumption and not just improved safety.

Graeme

14/3/2019 12:44:21

I suppose they need to use worst case possible. Just checked my car against these figures and at 60mph it can stop just over half the distance given here (31.7m).

Martin link

15/5/2019 20:29:02

So the overall stopping distance for your car is 31.7m + 18m (thinking distance) which makes it 59.7m.

This assumes good tyres & brakes & suspension, a dry road and the driver reacting in 0.7 secs to see the hazard and feel it's serious enough to react and then brake, hard, very hard.

I'm not sure I could react in 0.7 secs every time - could you?

John King

18/6/2020 11:43:40

Dead right, Martin.

Joshua

21/12/2020 14:32:59

Actually it makes it 49.7 not 59.7...

Craig

5/8/2019 20:26:23

Driving is a potentially dangerous business, it benefits us all to err on the safe side at all times. I am coming up to 70 and will retake my test to ensure that I am still good for the road. I have advocated that we should all retake a test every 5 years, but as most drivers give up good practice after passing their test, I think I'm on my own here!

Martin Evans link

5/8/2019 20:34:47

Good idea to keep your skills up to date...but what test are you going to take?

John King

18/6/2020 11:47:03

A good technique is to put yourself "on test" every time you drive. "How am I doing?".
"Did I see that cyclist as soon as I should have?".
"Do I know what is following me - when did I last look in my mirror?"

Mark Hewitt

9/8/2020 11:43:15

You could do Rospa Advanced Driving, or motorcycling; you have to retake the advanced test every three years. Well, you have to retake it if you want to keep the qualification at least.

malcolm

9/8/2019 14:33:29

The cars used to establish the data were in the 1980's. Cars stop 36 to 50% quicker these days. The Government waste billions on consulting so why don't they do an up to date test?.

Martin

9/8/2019 14:40:41

Actually the overall stopping distances haven't change for many years before 1980.

But...there is plenty of recent research saying that although the braking distance may be shorter, the thinking distance may well be longer.

The Highway Code is based on the driver reacting in 0.7 seconds...that's to:
* see the hazard
* recognise you need maximum braking
* move your foot to the brake pedal and
* press hard

Personally I don't think I could do that every time and the research shows not 0.7 seconds but usually well over a second.

This makes the overall stopping distance much greater than you might expect.

At the end of the day, it's a guide and don't forget the most common crash in the UK is by someone ramming the back of a vehicle in front by being too close and not reacting quickly enough.

Ann Loftus link

11/8/2020 16:11:15

Martin.
I completely agree with your comment about overall stopping distance. It's about an average car, average brakes average driver in good road condition. In feet it was 120, in metres it's 36.5 which converts to 118 feet. the two measurements are not compatible. I would always say 120 feet, is this wrong?

John King

11/9/2019 09:18:33

All of these guidelines I see flouted every day. A good rule of thumb is the 2 second guide for a safe following time. I have measured the tail-gating time of vehicles I have caught on my dashcam even as short as 0.3 seconds. Absolutely suicidal! And I can guarantee that I will be overtaken a dozen times in an hour by vehicles that then cut in in front of me with a time of 0.5s or less, even when the road behind them is clear.

Martin link

11/9/2019 11:35:01

I agree John the '2 second' gap is a good way of judging a safe following distance.

Not sure I have the same problem with people overtaking - even on motorways if I drive 2 hours I may be get 1 or 2 drivers undertaking me then cutting in front too close. I just open up the gap again and get on with my journey - not a problem and it doesn't effect my journey time.

Terry

24/11/2021 16:42:32

Why are vehicles ‘undertaking’ you, are you a centre lane hogger?

MR Harris

12/9/2019 23:18:37

"Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule" - resonates with me from old Public Information adverts on the tv and at cinemas (when they used to do that sort of thing).

This was recently re-iterated to me at a motorcyclist training course.

yeet

18/6/2020 10:00:31

yeet

John King

18/6/2020 11:51:54

Yeet, this where you are supposed to put your comments, not your name...

Edward John

25/8/2020 09:04:23

The image on here could be improved.
Currently it is very fuzzy due to being poorly optimised to make it load faster.
It doesn't take much to improve it and not affect the download speed.
Hope its of help
EJ

John King

25/8/2020 09:35:54

Back to braking.
An instructive insight is given by this thought experiment based on faultless mathematics correctly applied.

Imagine two identical cars on a motorway, one travelling at 70 mph, the other at 100 mph. As they draw alongside, they see at the same instant, an obstruction ahead blocking the whole carriageway, and start braking. The distance is such that the slower car just comes to a halt, making a brushing contact with the obstruction. What speed will the faster car be travelling at when it hits the obstruction?

The answer is 70 mph. Braking distance is proportional to the square of the speed - twice as fast requires four times the distance.

mike

18/4/2021 22:52:24

Wow. I literally work in this specific industry and I have never heard that rule before.
But, it works. that is phenomenal!
Thank you, this has just made my life so much easier!

jack link

31/8/2020 22:48:49

very help full

jogi link

31/8/2020 22:50:28

well explained

free theory test link

5/9/2020 17:47:07

amazing, thats help me alot in my practical life..thanks

driving theory test Road Signs link

14/9/2020 20:22:37

informative

Why people fail theory test link

14/9/2020 20:24:58

The Highway Code is based on the driver reacting in 0.7 seconds...that's to:
* see the hazard
* recognise you need maximum braking
* move your foot to the brake pedal and
press hard

theory test questions and answers link

17/10/2020 12:02:26

completely agree with your comment about overall stopping distance. It's about an average car, average brakes average driver in good road condition. In feet it was 120, in metres it's 36.5 which converts to 118 feet.

Steve Randall

6/12/2020 20:38:12

A good way to keep up to speed ( see what I did there?) on good driving try doing a commentary drive for about ten minutes. All you have to do is say what you see and describe what you are doing as well as taking in road conditions, traffic, weather and visibility. It will be surprising what you pick up.

Donald Duck

13/2/2021 00:08:29

Why do all these contributors from the pressure group Brake not just come clean and admit they would prefer to see a man with a red flag walking in front of cars

Martin Evans link

13/2/2021 18:02:19

What makes you think some of the posters support Brake? I don't for one.

BrainTree23

18/4/2021 21:28:09

Come on Martin don't be so silly you fat freak

Martin Evans

18/4/2021 21:31:13

BrainTree23 you are in for a smacking young lad!

Benor

18/4/2021 21:26:27

Not only is the data here useless to me (being an epic motorcyclist) but I am also disgusted by the lack of factors taken into account when considering thinking distance! This is an abomintaion- they didn't even include if the driver was mid CoC raid or defusing the spike in Valorant.

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18/4/2021 21:34:42

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Mr Banner

18/4/2021 21:35:44

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT! MY OFFICE NOW!

Question asker

9/2/2022 11:18:39

Question for the maths folks now we've new rules

You're driving 30 miles per hour and a pedestrian turns a full 90 degrees and crosses without warning with their nose stuck in their phone.

The pedestrian is 15m from your car as they turn (start of your thinking distance) and weighs 50 kg.

Q1a: How far does the pedestrian travel in the air after they are hit
Q1b: What speed will the car be travelling at point of impact

30/5/2022 12:21:01

No way. is this actually something that would be tested? No current driver would know this.

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2/7/2022 11:51:13

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What is the Stopping and Braking Distance of a Car?

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