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-qaurters of a second. In that time, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20m (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.

    See also:

    Turning the System On and Off
    The URPA system can be turned on and off using the park assist button located next to the shift lever. The LED next to the park assist button lights up when the system is on and turns off w ...

    Rear Window Sunshade
    On vehicles with a rear window sunshade, the switch is on the console to the right of the shift lever. The sunshade only operates when the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY. To open the s ...

    On the Road
    The LaCrosse moves out when pushed, but its capabilities stop short of an all-out sport sedan's — fine by me, seeing as no one ever wanted Buick to build the next BMW. The LaCrosse CXS, which pa ...