According to The Highway Code, a car travelling at 70 mph on a dry, level asphalt road has a thinking distance of 21 metres and an overall stopping distance of 96 metres. In wet weather conditions, reduced tyre grip on the road surface causes the vehicle's braking distance to double, while thinking distance remains unaffected. What is the vehicle's braking distance, in metres, when stopping from 70 mph on a wet road?
Answer: 150 metres
Answer
150 metres
On a dry road at 70 mph, the baseline braking distance is 75 metres (96 metres total stopping distance minus 21 metres thinking distance). Because wet road conditions double the braking distance due to reduced surface grip, the new braking distance is 75 metres multiplied by 2, which equals 150 metres.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Braking distance is the distance a vehicle travels after the brakes are applied until it stops completely, and wet road surfaces double this distance due to reduced tyre-to-road friction.
Estimated Time:1m 30s