Motion at changing speeds
Dangerous speed
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Many drivers are not sufficiently aware of the dangers
of driving at high speed -- of the
greater likelihood that an acccident will occur,
and of the increased level of damage when an accident
does occur.
A major factor in the danger of driving at
high speed is that stopping distance increases
with driving speed and reduces
the driver's chances of avoiding
a collision in dangerous situations.
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You can find comparative data about the braking distance of various
cars in the vehicle safety literature. For example, on the Internet site of the Japanese
National Organization for Automotive Safety & Victims' Aid
you can find results of braking tests performed on Japanese cars,
on both dry and wet roads. Below are some
examples of data obtained from that site.
Data of this type can serve as the basis for a representation
of stopping distance, as shown here, that would help drivers understand the concept.
(Some of the numbers have been rounded
not to overload the presentation with information not
relevant for drivers).
The results reported in the literature usually refer to tests taken at some standard
driving speed, like 100 km/hour (as in the sample data below).
To learn about braking distance at other speeds, you can make
prediction based on mathematical analysis.
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Prepare a poster informing drivers about
stopping distance at various speeds
Choose one of the cars tested by the
Japanese institute. Analyze its stopping process
from a speed of 100 km/hour, using mathematical tools
(value tables, graphs, correspondence rules) or a
simulation. You can also use the
Functions on intervals tool from the general tools list.
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Relate your analysis to the various magnitudes important for describing the stopping process
(reaction time, braking time, stopping time, reaction distance, braking distance, stopping distance).
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Describe
stopping at different speeds, for example 60, 90, and 120 km/hour.
Prepare a poster informing drivers about the stopping
distance of a car at different speeds and about the
dangers of high-speed driving.
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Some braking test results
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