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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. See Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9 and StabiliTrak
®
System
on page 4-10.
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 3-38.
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.
4-6