Defensive Driving; Drunk Driving; Control Of A Vehicle; Braking - Cadillac XT5 2017 Owner's Manual

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DEFENSIVE DRIVING

Defensive driving means always
expect the unexpected. The first step
in driving defensively is to wear the
safety belt. See Safety Belts 0 65.
Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, 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.

DRUNK DRIVING

Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a
small amount of alcohol. You can
have a serious or even fatal
collision if you drive after drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver who
will not drink.

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.
DRIVING AND OPERATING
Average driver reaction time is about
three-quarters of a second. In that
time, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h
(60 mph) travels 20 m (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.
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