What is the minimum safe following distance at highway speeds?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the minimum safe following distance while driving at highway speeds, specifically when one car suddenly brakes. The context includes the speeds and braking accelerations of two vehicles.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the following distance using the braking accelerations of both cars. Some participants question the correctness of the computations and the underlying assumptions about the braking process.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing feedback on the calculations and prompting further exploration of the distances traveled by each car during braking. There is no explicit consensus on the correctness of the approach yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants note a typographical error in the terminology used, which may affect clarity. The original poster's calculations are also questioned for accuracy, indicating potential misunderstandings in the problem setup.

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Homework Statement


you are driving at highway speeds of 32m/s. The car in front of you suddenly brakes with an acceleration of 1.86 m/s^2. If your car can brake with an acceleration of 1.76m/s^2. What is the minimum following distance that you need before the braking in order to avoid a collision?

Homework Equations


i down know if this is the right approach or if I am completely off

The Attempt at a Solution


car 1: 32/1.86= 17.204 s
car:2 32/1.76= 18.18s
18.18-17.204=.976s
(.976)(32)=31.232 meters away?[/B]
 
Last edited:
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There's a big difference between a car 'breaking' and a car 'braking'.
 
SteamKing said:
There's a big difference between a car 'breaking' and a car 'braking'.
'brake' it was a typo
 
Your final computation is wrong. Do you know why?

How much distance does the first car travel in 17.402 seconds?
How much distance does the second car travel in 18.18 seconds?
 

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