Final answer:
The 2 second following distance rule is used to estimate total stopping distance under ideal conditions. Reaction time and vehicle speed are crucial in calculating the exact stopping distance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rule used to estimate your total stopping distance under ideal conditions is the 2 second following distance rule (option b). This rule suggests that a driver should stay at least 2 seconds behind any vehicle that is directly in front of the driver's vehicle. To calculate how far a car travels during the reaction time before beginning to actually slow down, one must assume that the velocity remains constant during the driver's reaction time. In a given scenario, if a driver has a reaction time of 0.500 seconds and the car's velocity is 30.0 m/s before braking, the car will travel an additional 15 meters during the reaction period. Then, you would add this distance to the stopping time distance, which depends on factors like road condition and the car's initial speed.