How do you calculate stopping distance?

To calculate stopping distance, the correct approach involves considering perception time, reaction time, and braking distance.

Perception time is the duration it takes for a driver to identify a hazard, while reaction time is the time it takes for the driver to respond to that hazard after it has been perceived, typically by applying the brakes. Braking distance refers to the distance a vehicle travels once the brakes have been applied until it comes to a complete stop.

By adding these three components—perception time, reaction time, and braking distance—you get a comprehensive understanding of how far a vehicle will travel from the moment a driver spots an obstacle until it comes to a halt. This combination takes into account the psychological and physical responses of the driver, alongside the mechanical aspects of the vehicle's braking process.

Other options fail to accurately include all necessary components or mix up terms, leading to incomplete or incorrect methods of calculating stopping distance. For instance, some choices might omit perception time or misunderstand the relationship between speed and stopping distance, failing to recognize the distinct phases involved in the stopping process.