According to a recent Forbes article, the average car in the United States weighs more than two tons. From the time the driver in dry conditions recognizes an emergency while traveling at 65 mph, till the time he brings the car to a complete stop, he’s moved more than the length of a football field. In other words, if he recognized he needed to stop at one goalpost, he might stop in time to avoid the opposite goalpost.
If someone is following you too close and you react in time to avoid an emergency in front of you, the driver behind you will hit you. Daniel | Williams & Associates or Houston car accident attorneys at this point to ensure you receive the monetary compensation you deserve. They have a track record of attaining settlements and judgments in their clients’ favor.
Stopping distance components
Stopping distance consists of reaction distance and braking distance. Reaction distance is the time it takes the driver to recognize she needs to stop. Braking distance is the time it takes the vehicle to stop once the driver applies the brake. Add age, driving experience, road conditions, speed, vehicle weight, and brake conditions to the mix and that stopping distance potentially increases.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports at 65 mph the reaction distance is 143 feet, and the braking distance is 201 feet making for a total stopping distance of 344 feet.
3-second rule
Drivers must follow the 3-second rule to allow for proper reaction time. Regardless of speed, the driver finds a fixed point on or beside the road. When the vehicle in front passes that fixed point, the driver behind it counts “one-thousand one, one-thousand two, one-thousand three.” If the driver of the second car passes that fixed point before reaching the end of the count, then he must slow and increase the following distance.
While you apply the 3-second rule, you cannot control what other drivers do. If someone rear-ends you, let the professionals at Daniel Williams & Associates, Houston car accident attorneys, handle your case.