1997 Buick Regal Owner's Manual - Page 202

Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go.They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where the tiresmeet the road. Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide push on the brake pedal. to That's perception time. Then you have to bring your up foot and do it. That's reaction time. Average reaction time is about 3/4of a second. But that's only an average. It might less with one driver be and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight all play part. So do alcohol, drugs and a frustration. But even in of a second, a vehicle 314 moving at60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be lot of distance inan emergency, so a keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distances greatly vary with the surfaceof the road (whether pavement or it's gravel); the condition the road (wet, of dry, icy); tire tread; the condition your brakes; the weight the of of vehicle and the amount brake force applied. of Sometimes, aswhen you're driving onsnow or ice,it's easy to ask more those control systems of than the tires and roadcan provide. That means can lose control you of your vehicle. 4-6