OCR Text |
Show Stay Alert - Stay Alive Everyone knows you can't stop a car on a dime. But do you realize just exactly how far your car does travel before it can be stopped? It's a lot further than you may think. Tests show it takes the average driver, under most conditions, condi-tions, about three-fourths of a second to react to an emergency and hit his brakes. At 15 mph, in the time it takes to react, you've already traveled at least 17 feet theoretically, over three six-feet-tall men. It takes another 14 feet about two more six-footers to bring your car to a halt. That's a total, of five six-footers you've run over and at only 15 m.p.m! Most motorists, though, don't drive that slow. Let's assume you usually whiz along at say 60 m.p.h A pretty reasonable speed, you'd say. Keep your eyes on the road and reach for a cigarette lighter. Put the cigarette in your mouth, glance down and flick the lighter. That flick and initial puff on the cigarette took about two seconds. During that time, you traveled at least 176 feet more than half the distance of a football field. If you saw an accident situation ahead after looking up and hit he brakes immediately, before you could stop your car would have traveled 366 feet further equal to another football field, and then some. Your trouble may not be lighting cigarettes. But everyone's every-one's distracted some time or other by something in the car. Best protection is to be alert, and to hold down your speed so 1 if you do face a situation, you'll have time to stop safely. If you do find yourself facing an emergency, you'll be better able to stop in time if your tires and brakes are in good condition. condi-tion. An emergency is no time for added problems. If, despite all your precautions, you find yourself in an emergency, remember this tip: Better that you head for the ditch than ram an oncoming car. |