The Traffic Accident Reconstruction Origin -ARnews-

Re: speed from skid

Bob Cole (rpcole@ican.ca)
Fri, 2 May 1997 12:40:25 -0400 (EDT)

My 1.4 cents worth on the subject (2 cents Canadian being about 1.4 cents US).

A skidding vehicle is a skidding vehicle - if you take the same vehicle and
skid to a stop empty and then load the vehicle and skid to stop the distance
will be the same for the reasons given.

If you double the weight of a vehicle you will double the kinetic energy. To
stop the vehicle you now need twice the 'braking energy'. If the braking system
of the vehicle can produce that increased amount of 'braking energy' and lock
the wheels producing a skid, the vehicle will stop in the same distance. If the
vehicle can not produce enough 'braking energy' to lock the wheels, the stopping
distance will increase. If the vehicle is using 100% of its braking capabilities
to stop when empty and you now double the weight, your stopping distance will
double.

I was trying to clarify for you, but reading this over........
Bob Cole
rpcole@ican.ca

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