Total stopping distance is the sum of which two distances?

• A. Reaction distance
• B. Braking distance
• C. Reaction distance + braking distance
• D. Time to stop

Answer: (C)

Total stopping distance is made up of two parts: the distance your vehicle travels while you react to a hazard, and the distance it travels after you apply the brakes until it stops.

Reaction distance is how far you go from the moment you see a danger to the moment you press the brake. This depends on your speed and your reaction time.

Braking distance is how far you travel once you start braking until you come to a complete stop. This depends on speed, road conditions, tire condition, brake efficiency, and vehicle weight.

Add those two distances together to get the total stopping distance. Time to stop isn’t a distance, so it doesn’t belong in the total distance.