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Statistics: it takes a football field for a car to stop

On Behalf of | Feb 9, 2018 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Even with the best braking system in the world, there is no such thing as a car or truck that can literally stop on a dime. Motor vehicles are simply too heavy and travel too fast for that to be possible.

Because of the principle of what is called momentum, it takes a passenger car about 245 feet to come to a complete stop from 65 miles per hour after the brakes are applied on the vehicle. Additionally, the car travels over 70 feet between the time a driver makes a decision to stop and the time he or she actually presses on the brakes.

This means that, even when one’s brakes are working properly and the road conditions are good, a person driving a car will need the length of a football field to come to a complete stop. For larger vehicles and fully loaded semi-trucks, the distance is quite a bit longer.

To account for this reality, a driver in Georgia needs to remember to leave enough room between his or her vehicle and the vehicles ahead so as to avoid rear-end accidents. Moreover, the driver also needs to make sure he or she is traveling at a safe speed. Given that it takes longer to stop the longer one is going, it is usually best to err on the side of driving more slowly.

Finally, it is imperative that drivers avoid all forms of distracted, intoxicated, fatigued or even inattentive driving. While it is hard to do a lot about how long it takes for a vehicle to stop, a sober and alert driver is going to be able to get to the point where he or she is hitting the brakes a lot faster than a person who is simply not fit to respond to an emergency situation.

Motor vehicle accidents often happen in Georgia because a driver does not take appropriate care to be sure he or she can stop his or her vehicle in time. When such accidents happen, victims may be eligible for compensation.