At 20 miles per hour, how many feet does it take for an average driver to apply their brakes after detecting danger?

When an average driver detects danger while driving at 20 miles per hour, the time it typically takes for them to react and apply the brakes is crucial to understanding stopping distance. At this speed, a reasonable estimate for the stopping distance, which includes perception time, reaction time, and braking distance, is around 44 feet.

The perception-reaction time is commonly estimated to be about 1.5 seconds. In that time, a vehicle traveling at 20 miles per hour (which is roughly 29.3 feet per second) would cover around 44 feet before the driver even begins to brake. After that, the distance the vehicle travels during braking depends on various factors, such as road conditions and brake efficiency, but the significant factor here is the distance covered during the initial reaction phase.

This estimate helps drivers recognize the need for maintaining safe following distances and being aware of their surroundings, especially at lower speeds where stopping distances may not be as intuitive.