Final answer:
Doubling a vehicle's speed increases its kinetic energy by four times, resulting in the need for four times the stopping distance.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you double your speed, your vehicle will have four times as much energy of motion and will need four times as much distance to stop. This is because kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed. If a vehicle traveling at a certain speed has a kinetic energy of 'K', then doubling the speed would increase the kinetic energy to '4K' (since KE = 1/2 m * v^2, when velocity 'v' is doubled, kinetic energy becomes four times greater). Due to this increase in kinetic energy, the stopping distance also becomes four times longer, assuming the same constant deceleration. This relation helps to explain the severity of high-speed collisions and the importance of reduced speed zones near sensitive areas like schools.