Emergency Stop

SEVERAL FACTORS HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE WAY A CAR STOPS.

THE DISTANCE

WHETHER IT SKIDS

1;   the weather affects the surface of the road and can affect our ability to see a situation and react to it quickly.

The sun shining on a wet road surface can be very bright and cuts down visibility significantly.  Rain showers during hot weather can make the road surface slippery, as the hot weather melts the top of the tarmac and any oil or fuel leaks that have soaked into the tarmac come to the surface creating an oil and water mix.

Snow and ice increases your stopping considerably and therefore you need to leave 10 times the normal distance between you and the vehicle in front. Rain means you need to leave twice the distance you leave in good conditions.

2: One of the reasons it is the law to keep your car in roadworthy condition is to protect You, your passengers and others in the event of a crash. The MOT tests all the parts of the car linked with safety.  Brakes and tyres are very important in the distance it takes the vehicle to stop in an emergency safely.  Brakes should be checked regularly and the tyres kept in good condition, the legal tread depth of 1.6mm is there so that you have enough grip on the road surface to make sure the vehicle stops as quickly as possible in the event of avoiding safety issues.  where possible, fit a decent make of tyre to your car. Try and avoid budget tyres as they don’t last as long, should you catch the kerb or a pothole they are more to be damaged and need replacing or cause a “blow out” which is highly dangerous to the cars stability.

3: Effective observation is really the main way to prevent any accidents or incidents. Be aware of your surroundings by using the mirrors effectively at all times. Also try not to suffer from tunnel vision. For example, when approaching a pedestrian crossing make sure you look both sides of the road to be sure there are no pedestrians too close or at the side of the crossing.   In the event of an emergency, this is the only time you should not look in the mirrors before you brake because you lose precious time. Under normal conditions you should always check the mirrors before you brake.