Calculate the Risks. Can You Do It?
To calculate feet per second: {(mph x 5280 ft/mile)/ 3600 sec per hour = ft per sec}. Try it out before looking at the answers (they're located below)
1. If you are driving at 55 mph, how far will you travel in 5 seconds?
2. You're on a street in a neighborhood that has a driveway every 55 feet. Traveling at 30 mph, how many driveways will you pass in 5 seconds (A driveway represents the possibility of a car or child darting out in front of you)?
3. If you're driving 55 mph and a car 250 feet in front of you stops short, how long will it take you to hit them if you're distracted and don't apply your brakes?
4. A study at Texas A&M University's Texas Transportation Institute found that a texting driver took 3 to 4 seconds to respond or react to a flashing yellow light- twice the time of non-texting drivers. If it takes a texting driver traveling 30 mph 3 second to respond to a red light that is 120 feet ahead of her, will she be able to stop her car at the light?
5. Reaciton time is only one factor in stopping a car. What else factors into bringing a car to a safe stop? Stopping involves factors such as reacting to the situation, applying brakes, deceleration speed, road conditions, car/tire conditions, etc.
Answers:
1. 80.7 ft per sec x 5 sec= 403.5 ft (longer than a football field)
2. 44 ft per sec x 5 sec= 220 ft; 220 ft /55= 4 driveways (If you count both sides of the street, there would be 8 driveways)
3. 80.7 ft per sec; 250 ft/ 80.7 ft per sec= 3.1 sec (without applying brakes)
4. 44 ft per sec x 3 sec= 132 ft; No, she won't react and apply the brakes in time.
5. Stopping involves factors such as reacting to the situation, applying brakes, deceleration speed, road conditions, car/tire conditions, etc.
1. If you are driving at 55 mph, how far will you travel in 5 seconds?
2. You're on a street in a neighborhood that has a driveway every 55 feet. Traveling at 30 mph, how many driveways will you pass in 5 seconds (A driveway represents the possibility of a car or child darting out in front of you)?
3. If you're driving 55 mph and a car 250 feet in front of you stops short, how long will it take you to hit them if you're distracted and don't apply your brakes?
4. A study at Texas A&M University's Texas Transportation Institute found that a texting driver took 3 to 4 seconds to respond or react to a flashing yellow light- twice the time of non-texting drivers. If it takes a texting driver traveling 30 mph 3 second to respond to a red light that is 120 feet ahead of her, will she be able to stop her car at the light?
5. Reaciton time is only one factor in stopping a car. What else factors into bringing a car to a safe stop? Stopping involves factors such as reacting to the situation, applying brakes, deceleration speed, road conditions, car/tire conditions, etc.
Answers:
1. 80.7 ft per sec x 5 sec= 403.5 ft (longer than a football field)
2. 44 ft per sec x 5 sec= 220 ft; 220 ft /55= 4 driveways (If you count both sides of the street, there would be 8 driveways)
3. 80.7 ft per sec; 250 ft/ 80.7 ft per sec= 3.1 sec (without applying brakes)
4. 44 ft per sec x 3 sec= 132 ft; No, she won't react and apply the brakes in time.
5. Stopping involves factors such as reacting to the situation, applying brakes, deceleration speed, road conditions, car/tire conditions, etc.