Remweg

Remweg is the distance a vehicle travels after the driver applies the brakes until it comes to a complete stop. It arises from the deceleration produced by the friction between tires and the road surface, as well as the braking system performance and vehicle dynamics. In physics terms, if braking deceleration a is assumed constant, the braking distance s satisfies s = v^2 / (2a). If a is approximated by a = μg, where μ is the coefficient of friction and g is the acceleration due to gravity (about 9.81 m/s^2), then s = v^2 / (2μg).

Several factors influence remweg. Road surface conditions matter a lot: dry pavement generally provides higher μ than wet, wet than snow, and ice yields very low μ. Tire condition and tread depth, tire temperature, inflation, and overall brake system effectiveness (including anti-lock braking systems) also play crucial roles. Vehicle weight and dynamic factors such as braking balance and load transfer affect the actual deceleration. Under higher speeds, the remweg increases roughly with the square of speed, assuming constant μ.

Remweg is a component of the total stopping distance, which also includes the reaction distance—the distance traveled during the driver’s perception and reaction time before braking begins. In traffic safety, understanding remweg helps determine safe following distances and informs speed limits and braking performance standards.