Safe stopping distance demonstrations

How long does it really take for a car to stop?

Basic physics says the faster you drive the greater distance it takes to stop

Safe stopping distance demonstrations are a road safety campaign to show how long it takes for a car to stop when travelling at different speeds.

A trained driver shows the distance it takes to stop at various speeds. The key messages are:

  • Speed is a contributing factor in 20% of all fatal and serious injury crashes on New Zealand roads.
  • Each year, around 80 people are killed and 400 are seriously injured in speed-related crashes in New Zealand.
  • At speed, there is less opportunity for a driver to react to a mistake and recover.
  • We usually get to learn from our mistakes; but not when driving - the road is an exception. Even the smallest of mistakes on the road can cost us our life, or someone else's.

Want to arrange a demonstration?

For further information on these demonstrations contact the Road Safety Coordinator.

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