While car insurance costs are on the rise, a major new survey * has revealed that almost half of the drivers asked couldn’t answer more than half of the questions about the Highway Code. One of the questions that proved problematic was the stopping distance when travelling at 40 mph. Having a good knowledge of the Highway Code could lessen the risk of you having an accident, potentially making you less likely to make a car insurance claim. If you’ve been driving for a number of years it’s possible that you’re not as familiar with the code as you should be. As a quick check up, take a look at the selection of questions below and see how well you could answer them.

What is the thinking distance, breaking distance and overall stopping distance when travelling at 40 mph?
Thinking: 12m
Breaking: 24m
Overall stopping distance = 36m (9 car lengths)

In wet weather, by how much does your stopping distance increase?
It’s at least double

What is the legal speed limit for a car towing a caravan on a motorway?
60 mph

When travelling 6omph how many car lengths must you leave for stopping distance?
18 car lengths

For more information on the Highway Code click here: Directgov

* Survey carried out by fuel company Total, 2009

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