When travelling at 70mph, your stopping distance on a dry road is approximately how many meters?

When travelling at a speed of 70 mph, your stopping distance is approximately 96 meters on a dry road, which is commonly rounded to 97 meters in various driving guidance resources.

This distance includes both the perception time and the braking distance. At higher speeds, the stopping distance increases significantly due to the physics involved; as speed increases, both the distance travelled during reaction time and the braking distance (the distance it takes to bring the vehicle to a complete stop after braking begins) contribute substantially to the overall stopping distance.

For instance, at 70 mph, a driver may take about 1.5 seconds to perceive a hazard and react, during which the vehicle continues to move at speed. Coupled with the time taken to decelerate, this results in the comprehensive distance of roughly 97 meters. Understanding this is crucial for safe driving, as it underscores the importance of maintaining a safe following distance and being aware of one’s speed in relation to stopping capability.