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You are here: Home / Science / How much farther does it take to stop a car going 60 mph than one going 30?

How much farther does it take to stop a car going 60 mph than one going 30?

February 28, 2020 by Karen Hill

You’d think it would take twice as far to stop a car going 60 mph than one going 30, but in fact it’ll take about four times as far—, roughly 180 feet at 60 mph, versus 45 feet at 30 mph.

It’s an illustration of the principle that as you increase speed, your momentum (and thus your stopping distance) increases exponentially.

In other words, think: an object in motion stays in motion.

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Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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