Physics · GCSE · Forces & Motion

Braking distance: road, weather and vehicle condition

Braking distance: road, weather and vehicle conditionFree3:47Heddy Score 3 of 7, below the standard

What you need to know

  • Stopping distance is the thinking distance plus the braking distance.
  • Thinking distance is how far the car travels during the driver's reaction time; braking distance is how far it travels once the brakes are on.
  • The faster the car, the longer the stopping distance for the same braking force.
  • At 30 mph a typical family car needs about 23 metres to stop, roughly six car lengths.

In this clip

0:08–1:56Stopping distance
1:56–3:24Reaction time
Also coversBraking distance: road, weather and vehicle condition
Heddy Score3/7, Below the standard
See the seven stars
  • Trusted source · passed. The creator's own upload, live and playable here.
  • On the map · not judged yet. A teacher watched it: it mainly teaches this map topic.
  • Spec-true · not judged yet. Accurate, and right for the current UK specification.
  • Focused · passed. One idea, short enough to watch in one go.
  • Accessible · passed. Good captions, clear sound and pictures.
  • Safe for children · not judged yet. Right for 11 to 16 year olds, with no sales pitch.
  • Proven · not judged yet. Earned from our students: they learn from it, find it helpful and watch it to the end.
★ passed · ☆ pending · ✕ failed
Our students

Not enough students yet

Our own students' answers. These are what move ★7 Proven.
On YouTube

339K views · Freesciencelessons 995K subscribers

As reported by YouTube on 2026-11-03. Not part of the Heddy Score.
How the Heddy Score works

Why we picked it

Covers the exact GCSE points on stopping distance and reaction time in a short, well-organised lesson.

Freesciencelessons on YouTubechecked 2026-10-22

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