Stopping distance — Kansas Permit Test

At 60 mph on dry pavement with good tires and brakes it can take a Kansas driver about 4 to 5 seconds or 359 feet to react to a problem and bring the vehicle to a stop.

That is longer than a football field. Most drivers guess at half of it.

At 60 mph, it can take about 4 to 5 seconds or 359 feet to react to a problem and bring the vehicle to a stop.

At 30 mph on dry pavement it can take a Kansas driver about 2 to 3 seconds or 123 feet to react to a problem and bring the vehicle to a stop.

Half the speed is far less than half the distance. That gap is why speed matters so much.

At 30 mph, it can take about 2 to 3 seconds or 123 feet to react to a problem and bring the vehicle to a stop.

At 60 mph a Kansas driver who cannot see at least 400 feet ahead is driving too fast for their visibility.

Fog and darkness shorten the view but not the stopping distance. When the view is shorter, the speed has to be too.

At 60 mph if you cannot see at least 400 feet ahead, you are driving too fast for your visibility.

At 30 mph a Kansas driver who cannot see at least 150 feet ahead may not be driving safely.

Even at town speeds the view can run out first. A blind crest at 30 needs the same discipline as a highway in fog.

At 30 mph if you cannot see at least 150 feet ahead, you may not be driving safely.

Kansas perception distance is how far a vehicle travels from the time the driver's eyes see a hazard until their brain recognizes it, and the average perception time for an alert driver is three quarters of a second to 1 second.

The car keeps going while you work out what you are looking at. That happens before you have even reached for the brake.

The average perception time for an alert driver is ¾ second to 1 second.

Kansas reaction distance is how far a vehicle travels before the driver physically hits the brakes, and at 50 mph this accounts for 55 feet traveled.

Fifty-five feet passes before the pedal moves. Nothing you do at the wheel shortens it.

The average driver has a reaction time of ¾ second to 1 second. At 50 mph this accounts for 55 feet traveled.

Kansas braking distance at 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes can take about 158 feet.

This is only the part after the pedal is pressed, and at 50 mph it is over half the total. The rest is gone before you touch the brake.

At 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes, it can take about 158 feet.

Kansas total stopping distance at 50 mph is a minimum of 268 feet, including perception, reaction and braking distance.

Perception, reaction and braking added together is the real number. It is nearly five times the reaction alone.

At 50 mph, your vehicle will travel a minimum of 268 feet.

How far does it take to react and stop from 60 mph in ideal conditions?

About 359 feet. That is longer than a football field. Most drivers guess at half of it. Kansas Driving Handbook, p.57: “At 60 mph, it can take about 4 to 5 seconds or 359 feet to react to a problem and bring the vehicle to a stop.”