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The Speed Of Car Crashes

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Introduction
Car crashes are most commonly caused by speeding. This is due to the time it takes for the driver to realise they need to engage the brakes, and the time required for the car to fully stop. This is known as the stopping distance. The stopping distance depends on two factors. Firstly, reaction distance, which is the time it takes for the driver to know that they need to brake. While this is happening the car continues to move. The average time it takes for a driver to react is 1.5 seconds. The second factor involved with stopping distance is the braking distance. Breaking distance is the distance it takes for the car to stop when the brakes are applied. If these factors are not carefully considered, it is likely a collision will occur. The outcome of a collision depends on the speed the car is going. The faster the car is going, the greater the damage and the passenger. Car crashes, stopping distance, and brakes all are significantly connected to the characteristics of motion ( British Broadcasting Corporation , 2014).
The characteristics of motion are speed, velocity, displacement, acceleration, and momentum. Speed is a scalar quantity that refers to "how fast an object is moving." (The Physics Classroom, 2016). Speed is measured in meters per second (m/s.) Next, velocity is a vector quantity that refers to "the rate at which an object changes its position." (The Physics Classroom, 2016). Velocity is also measured in meters per second as well as a direction.

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