1995 Chevrolet Tahoe Owner's Manual - Page 188

Braking Braking action involvesperception timeand reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That's perception time. Then you have to bring up 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 less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination, eyesight and all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But even in 314 of a second, a vehiclemoving at 60 mph (100 k d h ) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lotof distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distancesvary greatly with the surface or me road (whether it's pavement or gravel);the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire tread; the condition of your brakes. and Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive spurts - heavy in 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. If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lotof unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. If your engine ever stopswhile you're driving, brake normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once thepower assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push. Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Your vehicle has an advanced electronic braking system that can help you keep it under control. When you start your vehicle and begin to drive away, you may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise. This is the ABS system testing itself. 4-5