If you go 35mph is 50ft enough to stop a car?

Question

If you go 35mph and you have to suddenly brake is 50ft enough to stop a car? Let say something pops out of nowhere

Answer 1

No.

You would need 78.12499999999998 feet to stop if you were going 35 mph.

Answer 2

Sure.  You can stop a car in 0' if needed.

Answer 3

Some cars....

The car must be light and have ABS. have a grip tires...

Answer 4

NO!!!!!

Answer 5

Sure, if there is a brick wall, or a bull-dozer in that 50 ft that you run into.  

35 mph is 51.3 feet per second.  Nobody can stop a car in less than one second, NOBODY!

The car will travel 59 feet while braking.   That doesn't change much, unless the tires are worn, and the car is not well maintained, in which case it balloons exponentially.

The reaction time before the brakes are applied the car travels 77 feet, assuming average good driver.

Grand total 136 feet!

Yes, it is possible for a trained professional, such as a race driver, on a closed course, to cut that grand total down with a better reaction time, but it is not realistic to believe the average driver on the road can cut it by much.

Answer 6

Although the highway code would have you believe differently

the answer is probably yes - you could stop a modern car, fitted with power assisted brakes. ABS, wide grippy tyres etc within 50ft.

The figures published in the Highway code for stopping distances have not changed since I took my driving test and that was well over 30 years ago. Cars have improved vastly since then - with braking systems being one of the features that has improved most.

Answer 7

NO