What is meant by constant radius in a turn?

The concept of constant radius in a turn is characterized by the fact that the turn angle remains consistently the same throughout the maneuver. This means that the curve of the turn does not change; the path of the vehicle forms a circular arc where every point along the turn keeps the same distance from the center of the turn. This is important for maintaining control and stability in the vehicle, as it allows the driver to anticipate the handling characteristics and the forces acting on the vehicle during the turn.

In contrast, a straight path would imply that no turning is taking place, which does not apply in this context. A turn that gets wider suggests an increasing radius, thus changing the dynamics of the turn. If the vehicle accelerates throughout the turn, this would affect the centripetal force and potentially lead to a change in radius as well, which also does not align with the definition of maintaining a constant radius. Therefore, the correct understanding of constant radius is that the turn angle or the manner in which the vehicle follows the arc remains consistent.