Page 27 of 324
Q=
A:
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?
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 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When’the key is turned to “Run” or “Start,” a light will
come
on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts. Unless the driver’s safety belt
is
buckled, a chime will also sound.
25
Page 29 of 324
Lap-Shoulder Belt
3.
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it
properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
4.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight. Pick
up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
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.
27
Page 30 of 324
&C What’s wrong with this?
n n
I A CAUTION:
The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or crash.
The lap part Of the
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.
be worn low and snug On A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt
is too loose. In a crash you would move forward
too much, which could increase injury. The
shoulder belt should fit againsi Bur body.
I
28 I
Page 31 of 324
@ What’s wrong with this?
n
I
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt is
buckled
in the wrong place like this. In a crash,
the belt would
go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle
nearest you.
x<->. -j;w;.!’.C , hii’. &hbLe:J*&A&
I
29
Page 32 of 324
@ What’s wrong with this? I
* The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder
at all times.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if you wear the
shoulder belt under your arm.
In a crash, your
body would move too far forward, which would
increase the chance of head and neck injury.
Also, the belt would apply too much force to the
ribs, which aren’t as strong as shoulder bones.
You could also severely injure internal organs
like your liver or spleen.
I
I
Page 33 of 324
@ What’s wrong with this?
I
/A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt.
In
a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of
the belt to spread impact forces.
If a belt is
twisted, make it straight
so it can work properly,
or ask your dealer
to fix it.
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
Page 34 of 324
Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the
way.
If you slam the door on it, you can damage both
the belt and your vehicle.
Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
System
(Air Bag)
This section explains the driver’s Supplemental
Inflatable Restraint (SIR) system, commonly referred to
as an air bag. Here are
the most impdi-tant things to
know:
A CAUTION:
Even with an air bag, if you’re not wearing a
safety belt and you’re
in a crash, your injuries
may be much worse. Air bags are not designed
I
to inflate in rollovers or in rear, side or
low-speed frontal crashes. You need to wear
your safety belt to reduce the chance of hitting
things inside the vehicle or being ejected from
it. Always wear your safety belt, even with an air
bag.
Page 35 of 324
I A CAUTION:
Air bags :..Hate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye. If you’re too close to an inflating
air bag, it could seriously injure you. Safety
belts help keep you
in position for an air bag
inflation
in a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with an air bag, and sit as far back as
you can while
still maintaining control of your
vehicle.
-
Air Bag System Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows “INFLATABLE RESTRAINT”. You
will see this light flash
for
a few seconds when you
The system checks itself and. $helight
?: tells you if there is
a problem. turn your ignition
to “Run”
or
“Start.” Then the light
should go out, which means
the system
is ready.
A CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on
when you start your vehicle, or stays on, or
comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your
vehicle serviced right away.
33