According to the manual, how long does the average person take to think, react, and apply the brakes?
-
A.
Under one second on average
-
B.
Roughly three seconds
-
C.
About a second and a half Correct
-
D.
Half a second on average
The answer is "About a second and a half"
The Approximate Stopping Distances page opens by telling drivers it takes the average person one and a half seconds to think, react, and apply the brakes, and the whole stopping table is built on that count. Rounding the figure down to a clean whole number is the mental shortcut behind A, the sort of quick estimate drivers reach for on the fly.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Under one second on average
The manual gives a longer time than one second. This answer rounds the actual figure down to a clean whole number, the mental shortcut drivers reach for when estimating on the fly.
B. Roughly three seconds
This overshoots the manual's figure by double. This answer blends the reaction-time figure with the four-second following interval printed nearby in the speed guidance.
D. Half a second on average
The manual's average is three times that long. This answer uses the fast-reflex figure some drivers assume they hit; the manual averages across all drivers, not the quickest ones.
This question tests your knowledge of Defensive Driving in Texas. Source: Texas Driver Manual, "Approximate Stopping Distances," p.45..
Related Texas questions
- Which action does the manual list as one of the four things a defensive driver should do to avoid crashes? →
- How does the manual glossary define defensive driving? →
- What space does the manual recommend leaving between your car and a motorcycle when stopped at an intersection? →
- On a level highway, how much longer does the manual say passing a truck takes compared to passing a car? →
- When a truck is passing you, what does the manual say helps the truck driver most? →
You just took one Texas question apart. The book does it for the whole test.
The Texas book unlocks a free companion: an adaptive study plan, progress synced across your devices, a denser laminate cheat sheet, and a test-day walkthrough. Verify your copy once, usually in seconds; there's nothing extra to buy.
$18.99 paperback, free companion included.