if stopping distance increases in the rain, then why is increased road friction a contributing factor to worse fuel economy in the rain?

Question

if stopping distance increases in the rain, then why is increased road friction a contributing factor to worse fuel economy in the rain?

In: Physics

Answer 1

More stuff on the road (like rain, snow, etc.) makes it harder for the car to slow down and stop. It requires more effort for the car to work through whatever is on the road in order to be able to push down onto the actual surface and stop. Requires more energy = worse fuel economy