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Multiple Choice

What components are included in total stopping distance?

Total stopping distance combines how far you travel before you actually start to brake with how far you travel while you’re braking to a stop. The first part is the thinking distance, which covers the time you take to perceive a hazard and decide to act. The second part is the braking distance, which is the distance you cover once you’ve started braking. So, total stopping distance = thinking distance plus braking distance. Perception distance and reaction distance refer to pieces of the pre-braking period, and vision distance isn’t a standard term used in this context, so they don’t align with the typical breakdown used for stopping distance.

Total stopping distance combines how far you travel before you actually start to brake with how far you travel while you’re braking to a stop. The first part is the thinking distance, which covers the time you take to perceive a hazard and decide to act. The second part is the braking distance, which is the distance you cover once you’ve started braking. So, total stopping distance = thinking distance plus braking distance.

Perception distance and reaction distance refer to pieces of the pre-braking period, and vision distance isn’t a standard term used in this context, so they don’t align with the typical breakdown used for stopping distance.