Reaction time and braking distance

To ensure a safe braking distance, a useful formula to remember is: square the speed and divide by 20 to gel the distance in feet. At 60mph, therefore, 60 x 60 = 3600 4-20 = 180 feet. To this must be added an allowance for reaction time, which, at this speed, would mean an additional 60-80 feet. The total braking distance for a car travelling at 60mph is, therefore, 240-260 feet.