What does "stopping distance" refer to in the context of driving?

Stopping distance in driving refers to the total distance a vehicle travels from the moment a driver perceives a hazard until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. This includes the distance covered during perception and reaction times, as well as the actual braking distance.

The first aspect, perception distance, is how far the vehicle travels while the driver recognizes a hazard. The next part is the reaction distance, which is the distance traveled while the driver reacts to apply the brakes. Finally, the braking distance is the distance the vehicle travels from when the brakes are applied until it comes to a stop.

The other options do not capture the comprehensive nature of stopping distance. One option focuses only on a specific scenario involving a stop sign, while another refers to a distance related to speeding, which does not pertain to the concept of stopping distance as it relates to recognizing and responding to hazards. The choice about buses needing to stop is too generalized and lacks the specificity of how stopping distance is calculated in the context of a driver's reaction to hazards.