Chevrolet T-Series, Owner'S Manual

Page: 134 / 326

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.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on page 107 .
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 the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; the weight
of the load; and the amount of brake force applied.
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