Pontiac 2006 manual Control of a Vehicle, Braking

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 tires meet the road.

Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems than

the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose control of your vehicle.

Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modifications

on page 5-3.

Braking

See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-32.

Braking action involves perception time and reaction time.

First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.

Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a second. But that is 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, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of 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 surface of the road, whether it is pavement or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is

wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.

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