Final answer:
The claim that it takes over 500 feet to stop a vehicle at 65 mph on dry pavement is true, considering the reaction time and the braking distance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that it takes the average vehicle over 500 feet to stop when traveling at 65 miles per hour on dry, level pavement is true. Stopping a vehicle depends on several factors, including reaction time, braking distance, and road conditions.
Typically, at 65 mph, the reaction distance (distance covered during the driver's reaction time, often assumed to be around 0.5 seconds) combined with the braking distance can exceed 500 feet on dry pavement. For example, if we calculate the reaction distance as speed times reaction time (using 65 mph or 95.3 feet per second).
An average reaction time of 0.5 seconds, the vehicle travels about 47.65 feet during the driver's reaction alone. Additionally, with a conservative estimate of deceleration rate, the braking distance can easily exceed 450 feet. Thus, the total stopping distance would indeed be over 500 feet.