Increased kinetic energy means you will need to ____________ in order to stop safely.

Increased kinetic energy means that a vehicle is moving at a higher speed or mass when in motion. When kinetic energy increases, stopping a vehicle safely requires more distance to decelerate effectively and avoid collisions.

Therefore, increasing your following distance provides additional time and space to respond to potential hazards on the road. By allowing more distance between your vehicle and the one ahead, you can react appropriately if the driver in front suddenly stops or if you encounter an unexpected road condition. This extra margin of safety is crucial when traveling at higher speeds, as higher speeds result in longer stopping distances due to greater kinetic energy.

The other options do not address the need to account for increased stopping distances stemming from heightened kinetic energy as effectively as adjusting the following distance does.