2.9.
5 Practical Stopping Distance
15B
The basic physics equation on rectilinear motion, assuming constant deceleration,
is chosen as the basis of a practical equation for stopping distance:
V22 V12 2ad (2.44)
where
V2 = final vehicle speed in ft/s,
V1 = initial vehicle speed in ft/s,
a = acceleration (negative for deceleration) in ft/s2, and
d = deceleration distance (practical stopping distance) in ft.
Rearranging Eq. 2.44 and assuming a is negative for deceleration
For comparison, average drivers have perception/reaction times of approximately 1.0 to 1.5 seconds.
Thus, the total required stopping distance is a combination of the braking distance, either theoretical
(Eq. 2.42 or 2.43) or practical (Eq. 2.47), and the distance traveled during perception/reaction (Eq. 2.49),
as shown in Eq. 2.50:
ds d dr (2.50)
where
ds = total stopping distance (including perception/reaction) in ft,
d = distance traveled during braking in ft, and
dr = distance traveled during perception/reaction in ft.
XAMPLE 2.10 THEORETICAL MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WITH AND
WITHOUT ANTILOCK BRAKES
A car is traveling up a 3% grade on a road that has good, wet pavement. The
engine is running at 2500 revolutions per minute. The radius of the wheels is
15 inches, the driveline slippage is 3%, and the overall gear reduction ratio is
2.5 to 1. A deer jumps out onto the road and the driver applies the brakes 291
ft from it. The driver hits the deer at a speed of 20mi/h. If the driver did not
have antilock brakes, and the wheels were locked the entire distance, would a
deer-impact speed of 20 mi/h be possible?
EXAMPLE 2.11 BRAKING EFFICIENCY AND STOPPING DISTANCE
A car [W = 2200 lb, CD = 0.25, Af = 21.5 ft2] has an antilock braking system that gives it a
braking efficiency of 100%. The car’s stopping distance is tested on a level roadway with poor,
wet pavement (with tires at the point of impending skid), and = 0.00238 slugs/ft3. How
inaccurate will the stopping distance predicted by the practical-stopping-distance equation be
compared with the theoretical stopping distance, assuming the car is initially traveling at 60
mi/h? How inaccurate will the practical-stopping-distance equation be if the same car has a
braking efficiency of 85%?
EXAMPLE 2.12 PRACTICAL STOPPING DISTANCE AND PERCEPTION/REACTION
TIMES
Two drivers each have a reaction time of 2.5 seconds. One is obeying a 55-mi/h speed limit
and the other is traveling illegally at 70 mi/h. How much distance will each of the drivers cover
while perceiving/reacting to the need to stop, and what will the total stopping distance be for
each driver (using practical stopping distance and assuming G = 2.5%)?
