Defensive Driving; Control Of A Vehicle; Braking - Cadillac CTS 2012 Owner's Manual

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Mid-East) - 2012
8-4 Driving and Operating

Defensive Driving

Defensive driving means always
expect the unexpected. The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 2 14.
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.

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 fourths 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.
Black plate (4,1)
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.