Thinking Distance

Key Stage 4

Meaning

Thinking distance is the distance a car travels between the moment a hazard appears and the moment the driver responds to it by applying the brakes.

About Thinking Distance

Thinking distance depends on:

• The speed of the vehicle - The greater the speed the larger the thinking distance.
• The reaction time of the driver - The longer the reaction time the longer the thinking distance and therefore stopping distance.

Thinking distance can be affected by drugs such as stimulants and depressants. Stimulants allow you to react faster so there is a shorter reaction time and therefore a shorter thinking distance. Depressants slow reactions so there is a longer reaction time and therefore a longer thinking distance.

Alcohol is a depressant so it increases thinking distance making it dangerous to drive after drinking alcohol.

Tiredness increases reaction time which increases thinking distance which makes driving while tired more dangerous.