1993 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owners Manual

or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts!
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With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
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Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts
-- and the
Answers
@ Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can easily unbuckle a safety
belt, even if you’re upside down. And your chance
of being conscious during and after an accident,
so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Why don’t they just put in air bags so people
won’t have to wear safety belts?
A: “Air bags,” or Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
systems, are in some vehicles today and will be in
more of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only
-- so they work with safety belts,
not instead
of them. Every “air bag”
system ever offered for sale has required the
use of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has “
air bags,” you still have to buckle up to get the
most protection. That’s true not only in frontal
collisions, but especially in side and other
collisions.
&: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn’t protect
you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of home.
And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths
occur at speeds of less than
40 mph (65 kmh).
Safety belts are for everyone.
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Safety Belt Reminder Light How To
Adults
Wear Safety Belts Properly
This section is only for people of adult size.
A CAUTION:
There are special things to know about safety
belts and children. And there are different rules
for babies and smaller children.
If a child will be
riding in your Buick, see the section after this
one, called “Children.” Follow those rules for
everyor
-s protection.
.., .*.. .. .
When the key .is turned to “Run” or “Start,” a light will
come on for about eight seconds toxemind people to
c
fasten their safety belts. Unless the driver’s Safety belt is First, you911 want to know which restraint systems your
buckled, a tone will also sound.
vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
I
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Driver Position
This section describes the driver's restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver
has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear it
properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see "Seats" in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
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3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end of this section:
Make sure the release button on the buckle faces
upward or outward
so you would be able to unbuckle
it quickly if you ever had to. The lap
part of the belt should be low and snug below
the hips, just touching the thighs.
In a crash, this applies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less
likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could
cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt
should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These
parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining
forces.
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The safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or a crash.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster E
You can move the shoulder belt adjuster to the height
that is right for you.
To move it up or down, squeeze the release handle.
When
you release the handle, try to move it down a
to make sure it has locked into position. little
You can move the adjuster up
from a lower position by
pushing the bottom of the release handle.
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.^.
To help you find a height that is right for you, follow
these guidelines:
For a tall person: Use the upper or upper-middle
position.
For a person
of average height: Use a position
somewhere
in the middle.
For a short person: Use the lower
or lower-middle
position.
Adjust the height
so that the shoulder portion of the belt
is properly positioned on your shoulder, away from your
face and neck.
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@ What’s wrong with this?
P
30
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt
too loose. In a crash yow would move fowuard
too much, which could Increase hjury. The
shoulder belt should fit against your body.
is
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