Quote:
Originally Posted by 99metro
This is from a Colorado website:
Increased Stopping Distance
The unique features of large rigs also contribute to many accidents:
* Stopping distance for a truck is dramatically greater than a car - for a speed of 65 mph it takes a car about 162 feet to stop, but a semi-truck needs about 420 feet to stop.
* For bobtails (trucks without a trailer) and empty trucks, the stopping distance is even greater because the lighter load has less traction. Heavy trucks are designed with brakes, tires, springs and shock absorbers optimized with the weight of a full load.
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This is why its deadly when a semi tailgates a car. If that car has to suddenly put on the brakes, the truck can't slow down as fast and will over ride the car.
This same physics applies in a lesser degree to large SUVs and pickups. They can't stop as fast as that small car they are tailgating and will rear end them if the car has to hit the binders.