1994 Chevrolet Corvette Owner's Manual - Page 125

Your Driving andthe Road There's something else about drinking and driving that many people don't know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person's system can make crash injuries worse. That's especially true for brain, spinal cord and heart injuries. That means that if anyone who has been drinking driver or passenger - is in a crash, the chance of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if that person had not been drinking. And we've already seen that the chance of a crash itself is higher for drinking drivers. Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That's perception time. Then you have to bring up yourfoot and do it. That's reaction time. Average reaction timeis about 314 of a second. But that's onlyan average. It might be less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, Control of a Vehicle alertness, coordination, and eyesight all You have three systems that make your play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and vehicle go where you want it to go. They frustration. But even in of a second, 314 are the brakes, the steering and the a vehicle moving at mph (100 km/h) 60 accelerator. All three systems have to do travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot their work atthe places where the tires of distance in an emergency, keeping so meet the road. enough space between your vehicle and Sometimes, as when you're driving on others is important. snow or ice, it's easy to ask more of those And, of course, actual stopping distances control systems than the tires and road vary greatly with the surfaceof the road can provide. That means you can lose (whether it's pavement or gravel); the control of your vehicle. condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire tread; and the condition your brakes. of Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts- heavy acceleration followedby heavy braking - rather than keeping pace with traffic. ...124