2012 Chevrolet Traverse Owner's Manual - Page 251

Driving and Operating 9-3 Defensive Driving Defensive driving means "always expect the unexpected." The first step in driving defensively is to wear the safety belt. See Safety Belts on page 3‑14. . Drunk Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a global tragedy. Control of a Vehicle Braking, steering, and accelerating are important factors in helping to control a vehicle while driving. { WARNING Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You can have a serious - or even fatal - collision if you drive after drinking. Do not drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a driver who will not drink. Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception time. Actually doing it is reaction time. Average driver reaction time is about three‐fourths of a second. In that time, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m (66 ft), which could be a lot of distance in an emergency. Helpful braking tips to keep in mind include: . Assume that other road users (pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do and be ready. Allow enough following distance between you and the driver in front of you. Focus on the task of driving. . . Keep enough distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Avoid needless heavy braking. Keep pace with traffic. . .