Explain the factors that affect the distance required for road transport vehicles to come to rest in emergencies and discuss their implications for safety.
Define stopping distance as the sum of the distance a vehicle travels during the driver's reaction time (thinking distance) and the distance it travels under the braking force (braking distance).
Analyze how factors such as vehicle speed, wet or icy weather, and the condition of brakes and tyres affect braking distance.
Evaluate the effect of factors such as tiredness, drugs, alcohol, and distractions on a driver's reaction time and thinking distance.
Describe the energy changes when a vehicle slows down, specifically that work done by the friction force between the brakes and wheels reduces the vehicle's kinetic energy and increases the temperature of the brakes.
Understand that the greater the speed of a vehicle, the greater the braking force needed to stop it within a certain distance.
Explain the dangers caused by large decelerations, including brakes overheating and loss of vehicle control.
Interpret graphs relating speed to stopping distance for different types of vehicles.
Estimate the forces involved in typical situations on a public road (Higher Tier only).
