
Black plate (5,1)
Holden Volt Owner Manual (Holden-Localizing-Holden-7337564) - 2014 -
CRC - 11/8/13
Driving and Operating
9-5
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means
“
always
expect the unexpected.
”
The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the seat belt. See
.
Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, cyclists, 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.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
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-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h travels 20 m, which could
be a lot of distance in an
emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.
Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.
Avoid needless heavy braking.
.
Keep pace with traffic.
If propulsion is disabled while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,
the pedal could get harder to push
down. If propulsion stops, there will
still be some power brake assist but
it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is
used up, it can take longer to stop
and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort. See your dealer if
there is a problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.