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 (60 mph) travels 20m (66 ft), 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 the engine ever stops while the vehicle is being driven, brake normally but do not pump the brakes. Doing so could make the pedal harder to push down. If the engine stops, there will 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.

    See also:

    For Better and Worse
    Without a doubt, the ATS feels a lot like the recently redesigned 3 Series sedan, with comparable attributes inside as well. The backseat has almost a half-inch more legroom than the 3 Series, but ...

    Storing and Deleting Phone Numbers
    The system can store up to 30 phone numbers as name tags in the Hands-Free Directory that is shared between the Bluetooth and OnStar systems. The following commands are used to delete and s ...

    Adaptive cruise control
    The XLR will be among the first vehicles with adaptive cruise control (ACC). While not a substitute for full driver attention, this system greatly expands the convenience of cruise control. ACC us ...