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.
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AM409006
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow
or
ice, it’s easy to ask more of
those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you
can lose control of your vehicle.
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
314
of
a second, a vehicle moving at
60
mph
(100
kmlh) 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’s pavement
or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry,
icy); tire tread; and the condition of your brakes.
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