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Braking
Braking action involves
perception time
and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide
to
push on the
brake pedal. That's
perception time.
Then you have to bring up your foot and
do it. That's
reaction time.
Average
reaction time
is about 3/4 of a
second. But that's 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 3/4 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
:nough space between your vehicle and
Dthers is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances
vary greatly with the surface of the road
:whether it's pavement or gravel); the
;ondition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; and the condition of your brakes.
Most drivers treat their brakes with care,
Some, however, overwork the braking
system with poor driving habits.
B
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some
people drive
in
spurts
-
heavy
acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-
rather than keeping pace
with traffic. This is a mistake. Your
brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will
wear out much faster if you do a lot of
heavy braking.
Don't "ride" the brakes by letting your
left foot rest lightly on the brake pedal
while driving.
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