What distance is required to stop a vehicle if traveling at 30 mph?

When determining the stopping distance of a vehicle traveling at 30 mph, it's crucial to understand the components that make up stopping distance: reaction distance and braking distance. Reaction distance is the distance a vehicle travels while the driver is reacting to a situation and deciding to apply the brakes. This generally accounts for the time it takes to recognize a hazard and physically move the foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal.

At 30 mph, the average driver's reaction time is about 1.5 seconds. In this time, the vehicle will travel approximately 44 feet before the brakes are even applied (using the formula: speed in mph multiplied by reaction time in seconds).

Once the brakes are applied, the vehicle's braking distance comes into play, which is influenced by road conditions, vehicle weight, and braking capability, but as a rough estimate under typical conditions, the braking distance can add around 34 feet for 30 mph.

Adding these two distances gives a total stopping distance of about 78 feet (44 feet for reaction distance plus 34 feet for braking distance). However, if you factor in additional elements such as longer stopping distances due to wet or slippery roads or a heavier vehicle, the correct answer indicating a commonly accepted average required stopping distance for