1993 Buick Regal Owner's Manual - Page 141

Braking - Braking action involves perception time andreaction time. First, you nave to decide to push on thebrake pedal. That's perception time. Then you have to bringup your foot and do it. That's reaction time. Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But that's only an average. It might be lesswith one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesightall play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration.But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That couldbe a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. vary greatly And, of course, actual stopping distances with the surface of the road (whether it's pavement or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire tread; and the condition of your brakes. Most driverstreat their brakes with care. Some, however, overwork the braking system with poor driving habits. Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts -- heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking -- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. Don't "ride" the brakes by letting your left foot rest lightly on the brake pedal while driving. 139