Every driver knows that when they put their foot on the brake pedal, the car will eventually come to a hault. But the most important thing for any motorist is knowing and understanding how much time it will take your car to stop.

When it comes to brakes, there are a number of things that need to be taken into consideration and they are all extremely important in order to fully grasp just how vital brake safety is when driving.

 
Why is brake safety important?

Brakes ultimately bring your car to a stop, so without them, or with faulty ones, it can pose life-threatening situations on the road. Therefore, looking after them and maintaining a good condition is vital to your safety and the safety of other road users too.

There are three main things to consider when it comes to making sure your vehicle stops in time. These are: stopping distance, thinking distance and braking distance.

Let’s take a look at a breakdown of each of them so we can understand what they are and how they work.

Stopping distance – This depends on both the thinking and braking distance. The stopping distance is determined by these two factors combined together.

 
Thinking distance + braking distance = stopping distance

Thinking distance – The time that it takes the driver to react to the situation. During this time the vehicle is still moving.

Braking distance – This is the distance it takes you to stop, one you have applied the brakes.

 
Here are some typical examples of stopping distances.

Travelling at 20mph – 6m thinking distance and 6m braking distance = total 12 metres stopping distance

Travelling at 40mph – 12m thinking distance and 24m braking distance = total 36 metres stopping distance

Travelling at 60mph – 18m thinking distance and 55m braking distance = total 73 metres stopping distance.

 
What affects stopping distances?

There are other influential factors that can determine the braking distance, outside of thinking and braking distance. These include:

– Road surface

– Weather conditions

– Condition of the vehicle e.g. are the tyres properly inflated? Are the brakes working well?

– How fast you are travelling

– How the driver is feeling e.g. are they ill, tired, had a drink of alcohol?

Now you can see how important brake safety is, it’s your responsibility, as a motorist, to make sure your vehicle’s brakes are kept in the best condition. Here at Universal Tyres, we offer free brake checks with no appointment needed! So if you’re in need of a trustworthy yet affordable brake repair service, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at Universal