Reaction + braking, road grip, impact speed
🛑 Braking Distance
Set your speed, reaction time and road surface, then watch a car try to stop before a pedestrian: reaction distance, braking distance, total stopping distance, and how fast you'd still hit something on wet or icy road.
Speed
60 km/h
Reaction time
1,0 s
Road grade
0%
Total stopping distance by speed (same road & reaction)
Reaction distance = speed × reaction time (you travel at full speed while your brain reacts). Braking distance = v² ÷ (2·a), where a = g·(μ·cosθ + sinθ) — μ is the tyre–road friction, θ the slope. Because braking distance grows with the SQUARE of speed, doubling your speed roughly quadruples the distance needed to stop. Figures are physics estimates for a car with good tyres; real distances depend on brakes, tyres, load and driver.