1993 BUICK CENTURY Owners Manual

early on Sunday morning. In fact, GM Research studies
show that the most and the least dangerous times for
driving, every week, Ml on the same day. That day is
Sunday. The most dangerous time is Sunday from
3 a.m.
to
4 a.m. The safest time is Sunday from 10 a.m. to
11 a.m. Driving the same distance on a Sunday at 3 a.m.
isn’t just a
little more dangerous than it is at 10 a.m. It’s
about
134 times more dangerous!
That leads to the next section.
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor to the
highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every
year. Alcohol takes away three things that anyone needs
to drive a vehicle: Just how much alcohol
is too much if a person plans to drive?
Ideally, no one should drink alcohol and then drive. But
if one does, then what’s “too much”? It can be a lot
less
than many might think.
Although it depends on each person and situation, here is
some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Content
(BAC) of someone who is
drinking depends upon four things:
How much alcohol is in the drink.
The drinker’s body weight.
The amount of food that is consumed before and during
The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume
drinking.
the alcohol.
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Police records show that half of all motor vehicle-related
deaths involve alcohol-a driver, a passenger or someone
else, such as a pedestrian, had
been drinking. In most
cases, these deaths are the result
of someone who was
drinking and driving. Over
25,000 motor vehicle-related
deaths occur each year because
of alcohol, and thousands
of people are injured.
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According to the American Medical Association, a
18O-pound’(82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC
by drinking three 4-ounce (120 ml) glasses of
wine or three mixed drinks if each had
1% ounces
(45
ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or.vodka.
It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example,
if the
same person
drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml
of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC would
DRINKING THAT WILL
RESULT IN A BAC OF .05%
IN THE TIME SHOWN
OF DRINKS
NUMBER (as in picture) 4
I HOURS
IFglT 1 &
100 120 140 160 1ao 200 220 240
BODY WEIGHT IN POUNDS
be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food
just
before or during drinking will have a slightly lower
BAC level.
The law in most
U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC
of 0.10 percent. In Canada the limit
is 0.08 percent., and
in some other countries it’s lower than that. The BAC will
be over
0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in one hour).
Of course, as we’ve seen, it depends on how much alcohol
is in the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them.
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But it’s very important to keep in mind that the ability to drive
is affected well below a BAC of
0.10 percent. Research
shows that the.driving skills of many people
are impaired
at
a BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects
are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels
above
0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of
being
in an accident increases sharply for drivers who
have a BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a
BAC level of
0.06 percent (three beers in one hour for a
180-pound or 82 kg person) has doubled his
or her
chance of having an accident. At a BAC level of
0.10
percent, the chance of that driver having an accident is
six times greater; at a level of
0.15 percent, the chances
are twenty-five times greater! And, the body takes about
an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No
amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed
that up.
“I’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer. What if t\
here’s an
emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child
darts into the street?
A person with a higher BAC might
not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking and driving that
many people don’t know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse. That’s especially true for brain, spinal cord and
heart injuries. That means that if anyone who has been
drinking-driver or passenger-is in a crash, the chance
of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if that person had not been drinking. And we’ve already
seen that the chance of
a crash itself is higher for
drinking drivers.
/i CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, and judgment
will
be affected by even a small amou-nt of alcohol.
You could have a serious-or even fatal-
accident
if you drive after drinking. Please
don’t drink and drive or ride with a driver who
has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or
if
I you’re with a group, designate a driver who
will not drink.
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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.
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 34 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
% of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph
(100 ludh) 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 surf$ce 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.
Most drivers treat their brakes with care. Some, however,
overwork the braking
system with poor driving habits.
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.
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Don’t “ride” the brakes by letting your left foot rest
lightly
on the brake pedal while driving.
“Riding” your brakes can cause them to
overheat to the pointthat they won’t work
well. Mu might not be able to stop your
vehicle In tlme to avoid an accident. If you
6crlde” your brakes, they will get 80 hot they
will require a lot of pedal force to slow you
down. Avold “ridlng” the hralaas.
faster. vou would need cos
replacement
much sooner
also reduces fuel economy.
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If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you
will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder
to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when
you brake. Once the power assist
is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake
pedal will be harder to push.
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Buick has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
I A CAUTION:
The brake wear wamlng sound means that
sooner or later pur brakes won't work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehlcle serviced.
I
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
worn and new pads
are needed. The sound may come squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving applied. This do\
es not mean something is wrong with
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly). your brakes.
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Rear Drum Brakes
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected.
Also, the rear brake drums should
be removed and inspected each time the tires are removed
for rotation or changing. .When you have the front brakes
replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Braking In Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking. Your first reaction-to
hit the
brake
pedal hard and hold it down-may be the wrong
thing to do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they
do,
the vehicle can’t respond to your steering. Momentum
will carry it
in whatever direction it was headed when the
wheels stopped rolling. That could be
off the road, into
the very thing you were trying
to avoid, or into traffic.
Use a “squeeze” braking technique. This will give you
maximum braking while maintaining steering control.
You do
this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily
increasing pressure.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake stop, your disc
brakes adjust for wear.
If you rarely make a moderate or
heavier stop, then your brakes might not adjust correctly.’
If you drive in that way, then-very carefully-make a
few moderate brake stops about every
1,0oO miles
(1 600 km), so your brakes will adjust properly.
If your brake pedal goes down farther than normal, your rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing up and
firmly applying the brakes a few times. In an emergency you will probably want
to “squeeze”
the
brakes hard without locking the wheels.
If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will
help you retain steering control.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
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Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops
or the system
fails to function, you can steer but it will
take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction
of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going
in the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand
this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition
of your tires and the road surhce, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through
a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly apply
the brakes. Both control systems-
steering and braking-have
to do their work where the
tires meet the road. Adding the hard braking can demand
too much at those places. You can lose control.
The
same thing can happen if you’re steering through a’
sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two
control systems-steering and acceleration-can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and make you lose ‘control.
What should you do
if this ever happens? Let up on the
brake or accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust
your
speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable
conditions you’ll want
to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels
are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so
you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are
out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
When you drive
into a curve at night, it’s harder to see
the road ahead of you because it bends away .from the
straight beams of your lights.
This is one good reason to
drive slower.
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