1996 Cadillac DeVille Owner's Manual - Page 186

Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehiclewhere go 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 tires meet the road. Braking Braking action involvesperception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That's perception time. Then youhave to bring up your foot and doit. That's reaction time. Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But that's only an average. might be less with one driver It and as long as two three secondsor more with or another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination So and eyesight all play a part. 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 lotof 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 surfaceof the road (whether it's pavement or gravel); the condition of the road(wet, dry, icy); tire tread; and the condition your brakes. of Sometimes, as when you're driving snow or ice, it's on easy to ask more those control systems than the tires of md road can provide. That means you can lose control your vehicle. 4-5