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Everyone knows that brakes are important when it comes to safety, but not everyone is familiar with the numbers when it comes to :

1. How many brake-related issues cause crashes
2. Driver reaction time
3. How far a vehicle travels after the brakes are applied at different speeds

This data can make you make you appreciate your brakes a little more and gives some insight into how everything works from the moment you see an obstacle to brake application.

The Survey Numbers for Accidents Caused by Brakes

Per a National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey, brake-related issues make up approximately 22% of accidents caused by mechanical failures. While accidents due to component failure or degradation are rare overall (around 2%), the fact that brake-related issues make up a solid portion of these accidents is a reminder that good brakes do make a difference. It would be interesting to see this data segmented more, between defects at the manufacturer level and unaddressed degradation from wear-and-tear. Regardless, it's something to keep in mind when it's time to service your brakes.

Brake Reaction Time & Stopping Distance at Different Speeds

The following stats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transportation Safety Institute, via the CORE Speed-Measuring Device Operator Training manual, are also worth reflection:

• It takes around 1.5 seconds for the average driver to perceive, react, and apply the brakes
  • During this 1.5 seconds, the vehicle is still moving at speed toward the obstacle
  • Reaction time does not change with changes in speed
• A small increase in speed results in a significant increase in stopping distance
  • At 20 mph, the stopping distance is 62 ft.
  • At 50 mph, the stopping distance is 221 ft.
  • At 60 mph the stopping distance is 292 ft.

Keep in mind that worn brakes and bad road conditions (such as slick roads from rain and snow) will result in longer stopping distances. Your best bet to catch brake issues and keep your stopping distances shorter is to take care of your brakes and address any issues you notice.

Applying Brake Statistics to Your Drive

Take a moment and think about how many times you brake during a regular commute, whether you're driving to work or the grocery store. There are stop signs, red lights, sudden cars merging into traffic, pedestrians, construction, hills, and many other elements that require you to slow down and/or stop your vehicle to safely reach your destination. Now think about what speeds you travel at and the types of road conditions you see in a given season.

Assuming you will spend 1.5 seconds reacting before you brake, do you trust that your brakes will stop the vehicle in time?

Other good questions to think about:

• How are your brakes performing?
• Would you trust them on a rainy day or next winter?
• Is their performance similar to when you got the vehicle?
• Do you know the last time the brakes were serviced, and when was that?

At Radial Tire Company, we provide brake service in Silver Spring, Maryland. If you're looking for a brake repair shop in our area, give us a call or stop by during our hours of operation. We also perform brake inspections. An inspection will give you a better idea about the condition of your brakes and is great to pair with a tire service where the tires/wheels are dismounted, because it gives technicians a good chance to check the brakes.

Lots of people know Radial Tire Company will keep them rolling, but we're also the place to go when you need to slow down and stop.

Some Final Thoughts on Brake Statistics

The National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey was conducted between 2005 and 2007. That makes it nearly twenty years old. That said, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration referenced the survey more recently in a 2018 publication (it's the one linked at the beginning of this article). We hope improvements have been made over the years in brake reliability, but no matter the numbers in 2024, there's no debate that taking care of your brakes is beneficial, and the extra stopping power you get from good brakes, even if it's a few seconds or milliseconds, can make a difference.