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.
Motions are defined as the change in position of an object. According to the Columbian Electronic Encyclopedia “the rate of change is the speed of the body. If the direction of motion is also given, then the velocity of the body is determined.” (Columbian Encyclopedia, 1993).
Throughout this investigation, data collection and statistical analysis will be performed to determine the validity of the following claim; “for driving a car, quick reactions are the most important factor. Males will be better drivers than females because they have faster reaction times” (Michael, 2014). In terms of driving, the time it takes for an individual to react to stimulus will have a major impact on the outcome of the situation. In an emergency, a driver may be required to rapidly slam on the breaks or turn the steering wheel, however it the individuals reaction time is slower than average, the likelihood of a collision is much greater. For instance, when an individual with a
The Car Crash Study was done in 1974 by Loftus and Palmer that was aimed to test their theory that the language used in an eyewitness testimonies can alter the eyewitness’s memory of the event. They got 45 American students and showed them 7 films of traffic accidents, ranging from 5 to 30 seconds, in a random order. Afterwards the subjects were asked to describe what happened as if they were at the accident. They were then asked more specific questions such as, “About how fast were the cars going when they (smashed/ collided/ bumped/ hit/ contacted) each other?’. This was to see if the if the verb used in the question would affect the answers given by the subjects which it did. In the next part of the experiment they showed 150 students a one-minute film that showed a car driving through the country side followed by four seconds of a multiple traffic accident. Afterwards they split the students into three groups and asked them different questions. The first group was asked “How fast were the cars going when they hit each other?”, the second group was asked “How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?”, and the third group was kept as a control group and wasn’t asked anything. One week later they were asked, without seeing the film, ten questions about the film. One question asked “Did you see any broken glass? Yes or No?” which there was none. The results showed that more participants who were asked “How fast were the cars going when they smashed?” said
Speeding takes a huge role in many teen crashes that result in fatalities. Going faster than the posted speed limit on a road, means that you are increasing your chances of crashing exponentially. In 2012, 21 % of serious teen crashes were a direct result of going too fast for the road. By going over the speed limit you are not only going too fast for the given roads conditions but you are also increasing the amount of time you will need to stop your vehicle in the event of an obstacle in the road.
Auto collisions once in a while end well. Somebody is harmed, costly vehicles are demolished, and more regrettable case situation somebody bites the dust. In a current crash, one individual unfortunately kicked the bucket and two other individuals must be hospitalized after a pile up in the Westwood region on a Tuesday morning.
If you increase your speed from 40 mph to 60 mph, the amount of energy released during a car accident more than doubles, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Speeding, due to reduced reaction times, is the second most common cause of car accidents and is a double threat to your safety. Not only does speeding magnify your risk of a car accident occurring, but also the faster you go, the likelihood the crash is severe or fatal vastly increases. Paying attention and adhering to posted speed limits, especially in construction zones, is a good preventative measure for automobile
The more time the drivers are acted on by the force, the less damage there will be. This can be seen in seatbelts. During normal circumstances, you can move easily with your seatbelts on but when the collision occurs, the retractor mechanism tightens up in order to help the drivers stay in place. However, it also loosens up a little allowing the force to spread over a period of time, causing less damage. Another area we can see the idea of impulse is through airbags. When the airbag inflates and the car comes to a stop, the driver’s head hits the airbag and the airbag deflates at a slow rates which decreases the change in momentum. This decrease of momentum makes the force when the head gets in contact with the airbag lesser than if it was
It must be noted that cars are dangerous vehicles which can cause fatal damage. Individuals responsible for a vehicle are expected to be more alert than pedestrians walking down the street or crossing the road, this is known as “destructive disparity”. This
Throughout my research paper, I will be discussing how the Newton’s Laws of Motion apply to automobiles. I believe this is an extremely interesting and relatable topic because we are at the age where we are beginning to start driving. Although some people may not currently be driving, we have friends or acquaintances who are able to do so and should be informed on how a collision happens and how it can affect the car and people inside. Adults nowadays are not serious about driving even though it’s a dangerous process if the car or truck collides with another object. We should all be informed on the causes and effects that driving has because we all have some sort of interaction with different types vehicles in our daily lives whether we are the driver of the automobile, the passenger, or the people walking around the car or truck that are moving.
Based on the annual global road crash statistics, nearly 1.3 million people die in road crashes each year, on average 3,287 deaths a day. More than half of all road traffic deaths occur among young adults ages 15-44. The top causes of vehicular accidents are distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, reckless driving and many more. Having said that, investigations are needed to be able to analyze the causes of the accident. In such cases, it cannot be denied that science is directly involved to fully know the extent and circumstance of an accident. Therefore, it is sufficient to say that specifically, physics, as science, plays an important role in police investigations. Furthermore, it can be said that policemen are accountable to utilize physics in their investigations.
Primarily, trucks have a very crucial role to play as far as transportation is concerned. They move cargo from one place to the other throughout the United States. As per research, it is believed that approximately one-ninth of traffic fatalities in the United States have either directly or indirectly involved large trucks. The research further claims that 3% of all accidents results from large trucks. The later has been facilitated by increasing numbers of trucks that are registered annually. This study will talk about the characteristics and contributory causes of truck crashes. To facilitate this, the paper will examine data from the Fatal Crash department through its website. There are some factors that contribute directly to truck crashes. Some of the factors include the use of cellular phone while driving, disobeying traffic rules and lack of warning signs along the roads. These factors can be addressed through sensitizing truck drivers on the importance of safe driving.
Car accidents can happen to drivers anytime, anywhere. "According to the National Safety Council, which stated that more than 2.5 million collisions back every year, making it the most common type of car accidents, it is also known that the accident rear end as incidents of injury, because the nature of the collision leads often in whiplash injury the driver in the car in front and about 20% of people who participated in a rear collision injury symptoms of this kind. ", (NHTSA, auto-accident-resource.com). Among the car accidents, the teenage group is the only age group who is number of deaths is increasing instead of decreasing. Also, all the people are exposed to risk and actually every one of them has got car
Every day, many Americans are hurt or killed in car accidents. Many factors can play into an accident. Road condition, mechanical failure, driver error, or simply an 'act of God'? Despite the countless reasons for a car accident, one factor is always present, no matter what the case: physics. Every accident that has ever occurred has involved physics. Using references found in the class text, in science journals, and on the Internet, I will prove this to you.
Velocity is the time rate of change of position of an object in a particular direction. Velocity along a straight line is known as linear velocity and is commonly measured by meters per second (m/s). Since both speed and direction are implemented in the measurement velocity the direction must be given. Velocity is a vector quantity, which includes magnitude or speed and a direction into account. An object doesn’t need to move in a straight-line path to have linear velocity. Instantaneous velocity of any point of an object undergoing circular motion is a vector quantity. When an object is forced to follow a curved path it has instantaneous linear velocity at any point of its travel. Velocity is calculated by dividing the time it took to travel the distance into the distance it traveled or V=d/t (Rusk, Dr. Rogers D. (2014). Velocity. In AccessScience. McGraw-Hill Education. Retrieved from http://www.accessscience.com/content/velocity/729500)
Surface transport is a vital activity of all human civilization since time immemorial. Humankind has spread all over the globe by means of surface transport. Of the various means of surface transport, road transport is the most common and crucial in human life. Roads have spread wide and in fact, road intensity could be an index of socio-economic progression of human communities, states and countries. Along with spread of the roads, the vehicles also have grown up in number, technology and consequently in speed. That had repercussions in terms accidents and human, livestock, and wildlife causalities, and loss of properties. Such unpleasant repercussions also had other socio-economic, psychological and other opportunistic costs as well, especially in societies with lesser social security measures in place.