1996 Buick Regal Owner's Manual - Page 157

Control of a Vehicle Braking YOU have three systems that make,your vehicle go where Braking action involves perception time and you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and reaction time. the accelerator, All three systems have do their work to First, you have to decide push on the brake pedal. to the at the places where the tires meetroad. up That's perception time. Then you have to bring your foot and do That's reaction time. it. Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But that's only an average. It might be lesswith one driver or and as long as two three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight allplay a part. So do alcohol, drugs and 3/4 frustration. But even in 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. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface the road (whether pavement or of it's gravel); the condition the road (wet,dry, icy); tire of tread; and the condition your brakes. of Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice,it's easy to ask moreof those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means can lose control you of your vehicle. 4-5 \