What is the recommended reaction time when you are 10 feet from a hazard?

• A. 2 seconds to react
• B. 0.5 seconds to react
• C. 1 second to react
• D. 0.1 seconds to react

Answer: (B)

When you’re only 10 feet from a hazard, you must act almost immediately once you notice danger. About a half-second of reaction time is the practical minimum for recognizing the hazard and starting to brake or steer away. This short delay helps you preserve as much stopping distance as possible in a tight situation. Slower responses—like one or two seconds—eat up most or all of that tiny gap, making a collision much more likely. A mere 0.1-second reaction isn’t realistic for typical human perception and action. So, a half-second reaction time is the best balance between what a driver can realistically do and the limited distance available.