Definition
Braking distance is the distance the vehicle covers from the moment the driver presses the brake pedal until it comes to a complete stop. It scales with the square of speed: doubling speed quadruples the braking distance.
Key facts
- Quadruples when speed doubles: at 100 km/h you need 4× the space of 50 km/h.
- Increases with vehicle load, tyre wear, wet or icy pavement, and downhill slope.
- Only ABS preserves steering control during emergency braking.
Practice real questions on this topic
Free DGT 2026 test with exam-style questions and explanations. No signup. Or explore the free DGT test in English hub for everything in one place.
In the DGT exam
- In a car’s conventional hydraulic brakes, which of these situations is NOT a usual cause of reduced effectiveness?
- What use of the brakes can cause them to overheat?
- If a vehicle’s brakes get wet, what can happen?