At 60 km/h, a car travels about 17 metres every second before the brakes have even started slowing it down. That is why learning how to judge stopping distances is not about memorising one number. It is about reading the road early, leaving room for the unexpected and adjusting your speed before you need to brake hard.
For learner drivers, this is one of the habits that makes driving feel calmer and safer. It also matters in the WA Practical Driving Assessment, where your assessor needs to see that you maintain a safe space, respond smoothly to changing conditions and avoid creating risk for yourself or other road users.
How to judge stopping distances while driving
A stopping distance has two parts: thinking distance and braking distance.
Thinking distance is how far the car travels while you spot a hazard, decide what to do and move your foot to the brake. Even an alert driver needs time for this. Looking at your mobile, searching for an address, chatting with passengers or simply being tired can make that distance much longer.
Braking distance is the distance travelled after you apply the brakes. It changes with your speed, the road surface, tyre condition, vehicle weight and how firmly you need to brake. A dry, well-maintained road gives your tyres more grip than a wet road, loose gravel or a surface covered in leaves or sand.
Speed has a bigger effect than many learners expect. Double your speed and the braking distance does not simply double – it increases much more sharply. This is why a small reduction in speed before a busy intersection, school zone or wet bend can give you a far greater safety margin.
You cannot accurately calculate every stopping distance from the driver’s seat. Instead, use a safe following gap, scan well ahead and make earlier decisions.
Use the two-second gap as your starting point
In good conditions, a minimum two-second gap behind the vehicle ahead is a practical starting point. Pick a fixed object ahead, such as a sign, power pole or tree. When the rear of the vehicle in front passes it, begin counting: “one thousand and one, one thousand and two”. Your vehicle should not reach that same point before you finish counting.
This method works because it automatically gives more distance as speed rises. At 60 km/h, a two-second gap is roughly 33 metres. At 100 km/h, it is about 56 metres. Measuring in car lengths is less reliable because vehicle sizes differ and it does not account properly for speed.
Two seconds is a minimum for favourable conditions, not a target to sit exactly on. If a vehicle cuts into your gap, ease off the accelerator and rebuild the space rather than following too closely behind it. A safe driver protects their own buffer without reacting aggressively.
Increase the gap when conditions change
Wet weather calls for more room. On Perth roads, the first rain after a dry spell can make the surface especially slippery as oil and dust rise. Aim for at least four seconds in rain, and allow even more distance during heavy downpours when visibility is reduced.
You should also extend your following distance at night, in glare from a low sun, through roadworks, on gravel or unsealed edges, and when traffic is stop-start. Increase it if you are behind a large truck, bus or ute with an obstructed view. You need space not only to stop, but to see hazards developing ahead of the vehicle in front.
If you are towing, carrying a heavy load or driving a vehicle with unfamiliar braking behaviour, build a larger margin again. The right distance depends on the conditions. Safe driving is about adapting, not applying one rule regardless of what is happening around you.
Look further ahead than the car in front
Following distance gives you time. Looking well ahead gives you warning.
Train your eyes to scan through traffic rather than locking onto the rear of the vehicle directly in front. Look for brake lights several cars ahead, pedestrians near crossings, vehicles waiting to turn, a queue forming at lights, and cars edging out from side streets or driveways.
When you identify a developing hazard early, release the accelerator first. This gently reduces speed and may be enough to create the space you need. If braking is required, you can then brake progressively rather than suddenly. Smooth control is easier for passengers, clearer for drivers behind you and generally safer for your tyres.
A common learner mistake is continuing at the same speed until the car ahead brakes, then reacting late and firmly. Another is staring at the vehicle ahead and missing the reason it is slowing down. Both habits make stopping distances feel shorter than they really are.
Judge your ability to stop before intersections and bends
Stopping distance is not only about following another vehicle. You also need to judge whether you can stop safely at traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, give way signs and bends with limited vision.
As you approach a green traffic light, check its condition early. If it has been green for some time, be prepared for it to change. Do not speed up to get through an amber light. In Western Australia, you must stop at an amber signal unless it is unsafe to do so. The safest choice is usually made before you are close to the stop line.
On approach to a bend, slow down while travelling straight, before turning the steering wheel. You need enough time and tyre grip to respond if the road curves tighter than expected, a cyclist appears or traffic is stopped around the corner. Braking heavily while turning can reduce tyre grip and make the vehicle less stable.
At pedestrian crossings and near schools, assume someone may step out. Parked cars, larger vehicles and roadside signs can hide people from view. Reducing speed early gives you a realistic chance to stop if a child, pedestrian or scooter rider enters your path.
Use your speed to create options
A safe speed is not just the posted speed limit. The limit is the maximum permitted in suitable conditions, not a promise that every situation is safe at that speed.
For example, 60 km/h may be lawful on a busy suburban road, but it may not be appropriate if rain is falling, cars are parked along both sides, pedestrians are nearby and your view at intersections is blocked. Slowing to a speed that lets you stop within the distance you can see is the better decision.
This principle is particularly useful for newly arrived drivers adapting to WA roads. Be alert for roundabouts, slip lanes, school crossings, cyclists and drivers turning across your path. Leave room for other people’s mistakes, because you cannot control whether another road user checks properly before moving.
Practise the skill with calm, deliberate feedback
Stopping-distance judgement improves through repeated practice in different conditions. Start by using the two-second count on quieter dry roads. Then practise extending the gap in rain, at night and in heavier traffic. Notice how much earlier you need to release the accelerator when the road is busy or your view is restricted.
During lessons, a qualified instructor can help you recognise when your gap is shrinking, whether your braking is too late and how far ahead you are scanning. In a dual-control vehicle, you can practise the decision-making safely while receiving precise correction on the road, not just general advice after the fact.
For parents supervising a learner, the most useful prompt is often, “What can you see ahead, and where would you stop if traffic stopped now?” It encourages planning rather than panic braking. Avoid telling a learner to follow closely so other vehicles cannot merge. Keeping a safe gap is never wasted space – it is the room that allows a driver to make a safe choice.
The goal is not to stop at the last possible moment. It is to drive with enough time, distance and awareness that hard braking is rarely needed. Each time you ease off early, scan ahead and preserve a safe gap, you are building the judgement that protects you long after the driving test is over.
Ready to get on the road? Check out our driving lesson prices and packages in Perth and book your first lesson with Drive Solo today.
