How to keep a safe distance when driving?
The article below will tell you why you must maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front and what that safe distance is?
Car manufacturers, enthusiasts and car magazines love to talk about a car’s acceleration, but a car’s braking ability is rarely discussed. Although we are taught to keep a safe distance when learning to drive, most of us seem to pay little attention to this issue when driving on the road, and this has many unpredictable consequences.
Traffic experts in the UK have calculated and experimented to find specific figures for braking distance at different speeds based on the table below.
As you can see above, the braking distance is divided into two parts - the braking reaction distance and the braking distance. The braking reaction distance is the distance traveled between the moment we perceive the danger and the moment we brake immediately.
Braking distance is the distance from when the brake pedal is pressed until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Braking distance is more affected by speed than braking reaction distance - the difference in braking reaction distance between 50 and 120 km/h is only 15m while the braking distance is 69m
Factors affecting braking distance
Speed
As the table above shows, the higher the speed, the longer the braking distance. Both the braking reaction distance and braking distance increase with speed. That is why in densely populated areas and towns, speed limits are required to avoid unfortunate accidents.
Road conditions
Wet or icy roads will increase braking distances, because of the poor traction between the tires and the road. Slippery roads can cause the vehicle to skid or slide. In these conditions, braking distances can increase up to 10 times normal.
Driver awareness
Driving while drunk is one of the illegal acts. Alcohol in wine will reduce the driver's cognitive ability and increase the driver's reaction time. Therefore, the braking distance is also longer than normal. In addition, driving in a state of fatigue will also adversely affect the driver's cognitive ability, especially for long-distance drivers.
Tires
The first factor when it comes to tires is their quality, generally the higher the quality of the tire, the better the braking distance. In studies, the difference in braking distance between the best and worst tires regardless of tire type is up to 4.6m.
The second factor is the age of the tyre, most tyres have a tread wear indicator located between the tread grooves and 1.6mm high. If the tyres are worn below or above this level, the frictional ability of the tyres will be significantly reduced, resulting in increased braking distance.
Another important thing is to maintain the correct tire pressure to maximize the friction of the tire set.
The car itself
A vehicle that is kept in good running condition will ensure the shortest stopping distance. For example, a dirty windshield will reduce your visibility, poorly maintained brakes will take longer to stop, or you will be disoriented in the dark with dirty or misaligned headlights.
