At 55 mph on dry pavement with good brakes it can take a heavy vehicle about 170 feet to stop. Total Stopping Distance. At 55 mph it will take about six seconds to stop and your vehicle will travel about the distance of a football field. The Effect of Speed on Stopping Distance. Whenever you double your speed, it takes about four times as much distance to stop and your vehicle will have four times the destructive power if it crashes.
High speeds increase stopping distances greatly.
By slowing down a little, you can gain a lot in reduced braking distance. The Effect of Vehicle Weight on Stopping Distance. The heavier the vehicle, the more work the brakes must do to stop it and the more heat they absorb. But the brakes, tires, springs, and shock absorbers on heavy vehicles are designed to work best when the vehicle is fully loaded. Empty trucks require greater stopping distances, because an empty vehicle has less traction.