Stopping

Under normal conditions, stops should be smooth, slow, and what? And gradual. Plan ahead for stops. Tap the brake pedal to slow down a bit, release the pedal, and then tap it again. Let the vehicle slow down without your forcing it to. Avoid stomping on the brake pedal to make a sudden stop. Not only is this dangerous, but it can damage your brakes and even cause you to lose control of the vehicle. You will read about emergency stopping later in the course. By now, you know the risk when you stomp and hold your brake pedal, right? Remember ABS?

Be aware of just how long it takes you to make a proper stop with a moving vehicle. In addition to what you just read, consider that you, the driver, must recognize you must make a stop. From there, your brain directs your foot to depress the brake pedal. Finally, your vehicle will begin to slow and come to a stop. By way of example, you need almost 62 feet to come to a full stop from 25 miles per hour. That’s from recognizing you must stop to finishing the stop. Per the NHTSA, in 2017, 69.9% of crashes in the U.S. were vehicle to vehicle.  33% were rear-end collisions. 

At 65 miles per hour, just remember football. You’ll need almost 306 feet- longer than the length of a football field-to bring your vehicle to a halt. Good defensive drivers know this and always allow enough time and distance to complete full and safe stops.