In many car accidents, such as rear-end accidents, the driver simply says everything happened quickly. They tried to stop, but they could not do so in time.
Often, the problem is simply that the driver did not understand exactly how long it was going to take them to stop their car, so they may not have been maintaining a safe following distance. There are a few different factors to consider when determining how much space each driver needs to be safe.
Size and weight of the vehicle
The first thing to think about is the weight of the vehicle itself, which can extend stopping distances. For instance, a passenger car takes roughly 300 feet to stop, but a semi-truck takes around 525 feet. This is because a semi-truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, whereas most passenger vehicles only weigh a few thousand pounds. It takes extra distance to bring all that mass to a halt, even when the driver quickly gets on the brakes.
Delays in reaction time
Additionally, drivers don’t often hit the brakes as quickly as they assume. For instance, some studies have found roughly 1.5 seconds of delay between when a driver sees that they need to stop and when they actually push the brake pedal. Depending on the speed, the driver could cover around 100 feet before they even start slowing down. Anything that delays the driver’s reaction time—such as distraction or fatigue—can also make it take much longer to stop.
Have you been injured in a rear-end accident caused by another negligent driver? If so, be sure you know how to seek fair financial compensation.