Stopping distances

[CCieurzo <CCieurzo@aol.com>]

Apologies for the low Audi content, but I have a question for the more
technically inclined. My wife was involved in an offset front end crash this
week in our Jetta GLX as she was trying to exit the driveway in our apartment
complex. The person who hit her left about 6ft of rubber on the pavement (93
adnoH Prelude) and by the body shop's estimate was traveling at 10-15 mph at
the time of impact. It seems to me that the adnoH was traveling above the
posted 25 mph limit, but both the SD PD and Allstate said it requires 60 ft to
stop from 25 mph. That includes reaction time. Does that seem excessive to
anyone else? I remember seeing something on the Discovery channel where a
police dept. used a beat up 78 Chebby Malibu sta wag to test stopping
distances for accident reconstruction. This can't possibly be the standard
that they use, could it? Any estimates would be helpful, as both insurance
companies are putting 100% blame on my wife at the moment. And yes, I know she
had to yield right of way, but did excessive speed contribute? Thanks.

Chris
97 A4q 2.8
96 Jetta GL (the X is lying somewhere in the gutter with the front grille)