Montana Driving: Recommended Braking Distances Based on Road Conditions

Driving to work this morning one of my favorite songs came on the radio and I'll admit, I was jamming. On my commute, I come down a bit of a hill and there's a traffic light at the end. I was going the speed limit, but I had timed it wrong and the light changed. I had to brake quickly.

For a brief moment, a string of expletives went through my mind, "Are the roads just wet or icy?" hoping I had enough space to slow down.

I was able to stop but when I got to work I saw this graphic about the recommended braking distances for different road conditions and realized I needed to get out of "summer driving mode."

It happens every year. The first time the roads are dicey, it catches drivers by surprise, and we drive faster and stop shorter than we should. So here's your PSA (and mine, too): depending on the road conditions, you need more distance to brake.

How Much Distance Do You Need to Brake? 

I didn't realize there was such a difference between wet and dry roads when it comes to braking distance (see my story above). I usually only worry about snow and ice-covered roads.

Heath Consultants shared this graphic showing how many feet you really need to be able to brake safely.

According to those estimates, I needed 120 feet this morning to stop at that traffic light. I'm guessing that's about how much space I used, and the speed limit in that area was 35 mph.

But look how much more space you need for snowy roads--180 feet. And icy roads? You need hundreds more than that, at least 600 or more according to the graphic.

That's why Montanas always say "Go slow and give yourself room" when driving in the winter. But having a specific number helps when trying to decide just how much "room" you need.