Elena Hubner

Pre AP Physics
Period 7
12/17/14

Stay Alive, Dont

Text & Drive

A Comparison
Stopping distances and times for drivers with 1.5 second reaction time:
Speed of
Car (m/s)

Reaction
Distance (m)

Braking
Distance (m)

4.46
8.94
13.41
17.88
22.35
26.82
31.29

6.69
13.41
20.16
26.82
33.53
40.23
46.94

.995
3.996
8.99
15.98
24.98
35.97
48.95

Total
Stopping
Distance (m)
7.685
17.41
29.15
42.8
58.51
76.2
95.86

Braking
Time (s)
.446
1.946
1.341
1.788
2.235
2.682
3.129

Total
Stopping
Time (s)
1.946
2.394
2.841
3.288
3.735
4.182
4.629

Stopping distances and times for drivers with 1.5 second reaction time:
Speed of
Car (m/s)

Reaction
Distance (m)

Braking
Distance (m)

Total Stopping
Distance (m)

Braking Time
(s)

Total
Stopping
Time (s)

4.46

9.366

.995

10.361

.446

2.546

8.94

18.774

3.996

22.77

1.946

2.994

13.41

28.161

8.99

37.151

1.341

3.441

17.88
22.35

37.548
46.935

15.98
24.98

53.523
71.915

1.788
2.235

3.888
4.335

26.82

40.23

35.97

92.292

2.682

4.782

31.29

65.709

48.95

114.659

3.129

5.229

The Physics of
Distracted Driving

Background Information
The Statistics

Texting while driving makes

a driver 23 times more
likely to crash.

15- to 19-year-olds make up

the largest proportion of
distracted drivers.

46% of drivers under 18

admit to texting while
driving.

11% of drivers ages 15 19

involved in fatal crashes

The Kinematics of Driving

Kinematics is the features or properties of

motion in an object. Because cars work by
speeding up and slowing down, they have
kinematic qualities. Cars accelerate with
the press of the gas pedal, which causes
an increase in their velocity. Cars can also
decelerate with the application of the
brakes, which causes their velocity to
decrease, and eventually reach zero once
it has come to a full and complete stop.
However, due to variables that
influence the kinematics of cars, such as
acceleration, time, and velocity; it cannot
reach a full and complete stop instantly.
After brakes are applied, it takes every car
a certain amount of time to stop given its
initial velocity among other factors.
Perhaps the most important of these
factors is the reaction time of time of a
driver the time it takes to analyze a
situation and access if brakes need to be
applied. This reaction time is typically
around 1.5 seconds for alert drivers, but
distractions such as cell phones can cause
this time to increase and therefore lead to

Take a Look
This graph displays the stopping distances
required for cars given their initial velocity

Alert
Not

As displayed, the stopping distance of cars

significantly increases as the drivers ability
to react decreases.

Conclusion
As proven in the statistics,
graph, and charts, texting
and driving is incredibly
dangerous. Those who
choose to text and drive are
choosing to put both
themselves and others at a
greater risk for being
involved in a car accident
due to their slower reaction
time. Driving is dangerous
enough as is, so dont make
it even more so with silly