Stopping distanceWorldwide
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310. Stopping distance
Stopping distance is the total distance a vehicle travels from the moment a driver notices a reason to stop until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. It consists of the reaction distance and the braking distance.
Stopping distance increases with speed and can become much longer when the road is wet, icy or slippery, when tyres or brakes are in poor condition, or when the driver's reaction is delayed.
Wikimedia.org • Tabl-trai • CC BY-SA
What can increase stopping distance?
Stopping distance can increase because of higher speed, wet or icy roads, worn tyres, poor brakes, downhill gradients, heavy loads and delayed driver reactions caused by fatigue, distraction, alcohol or other impairments.
🔗 gov.uk • Great Britain Highway Code, Rules 226–237, wet/icy visibility; national guidance example
🔗 gov.uk • Great Britain Highway Code, Annex 6, tyres and brakes; national guidance example

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