traveling at about 30 mph, how many feet will the average driver cover from the time they see the danger until they hit the brakes

75 ft

Explanation:

Breaking distance = Speed²/ 20

= 30²/20

= 45 feet

Stopping distance = Speed + braking distance

= 30 + 45

= 75 ft

initial speed when it is dropped is 150 ft/s

now at the same moment the acceleration due to gravity is perpendicular to its velocity

so as we know that

now we have centripetal acceleration a = 32 ft/s^2 as its perpendicular to velocity

while tangential acceleration at the same moment will be zero

so

now radius of curvature is given as

so the radius of curvature just after it is dropped is 703.125 ft