UCSF Police Officer Killed – Stopping Distance at 100 MPH

The sad news about Detective Edson Veloro brought the issue of vehicle stopping distance to mind. How many feet does it take to bring a vehicle traveling at 100 mph to a stop? When perception and reaction time are included the answer is feet 707 ft. At 60 mph the stopping distance is a much shorter 240 ft.

Using the DMV’s values and g = 32 ft/s², the stopping distance at vo = 100 mph will be about 707 ft. Besides being dangerous and illegal, the 707 ft. represents panic braking that will likely damage the tires. More moderate braking will result in a longer stopping distance.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of both officers and for a full recovery for officer Art Dragon.