____ greatly increase stopping distances and severity of crashes.
- High speeds ✓
- Slow speeds
- Night drives
- Uphill inclines
Answer: A. High speeds
High speeds greatly increase stopping distances and the severity of crashes.
Why this is the answer
The handbook states this directly in its braking distance section: high speeds greatly increase stopping distances and severity of crashes, and it explains that the faster you drive, the greater the impact or striking power of your vehicle. It also notes that doubling speed makes braking distance and impact four times greater. Speeding raises both how far you travel while stopping and how hard a crash hits.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Slow speeds — Slow speeds are the opposite of the handbook's point, which ties greater stopping distance and crash severity to driving faster.
- C. Night drives — The handbook passage addresses speed and braking distance, and says nothing about night driving increasing stopping distances or crash severity.
- D. Uphill inclines — Uphill inclines are not mentioned in the passage about stopping distances and crash severity, so this choice has no support.
Remember it
Remember the speed-multiplier idea: double the speed and the braking distance and impact grow four times, so speed is what stretches your stop.