Arkansas Commercial Driver License (CDL) Practice Test

The total stopping distance is a comprehensive measurement that encompasses three critical components: perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance.

Perception distance is the distance a vehicle travels while the driver is recognizing a hazard and deciding to act. This distance varies depending on factors such as visibility and the driver's attentiveness to the road conditions.

Reaction distance follows perception distance and represents the distance traveled while the driver is moving their foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal after they have perceived a hazard. The length of this distance can depend on the driver’s reaction time, which can be influenced by distraction, fatigue, or their level of alertness.

Finally, braking distance is the distance the vehicle travels after the brakes are applied until it comes to a complete stop. This distance can be affected by factors such as vehicle speed, brake conditions, road surface, and the vehicle's weight.

Combining all three distances gives a complete picture of the total distance required to come to a stop safely in response to a potentially hazardous situation. Therefore, the answer that includes all three—braking distance, perception distance, and reaction distance—is indeed the correct choice.