1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner's Manuals

I CAUTION m A Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be
a dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can’t d- ‘heir job
wrlen you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it won’t be against your bod
Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could
go into it, receiy ~CH
or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the belt could go u lver your
abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
Th’ - :ould
cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatbacl
prig‘ ’
Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so
that the top of the restraint is closest to
the top
of your ears.
This position reduces the chance
of a
neck injury in a crash.

16
Seats & Safety Belts
Seatback Latches
In 2-door Oldsmobiles, the front seat
folds forward
to let people get into the
back seat.
Your seatback will move back and forth
freely, unless you come to a sudden
stop. Then it
will lock in place.
There’s one time the seatback may not
fold without some help from you. That’s
if your vehicle is parked facing down a
fairly steep hill.
To fold a seatback forward, push the
seatback toward the rear as you lift this
latch. Then the seatback will fold
forward. The latch must be
down for
the seat to work properly.
Split Fold-Down Rearmseat ’ ,”
(OPTION)
To Open: Pull forward on the seat tab.
To Close: Push the seatback up to its
original position.
Check latch resistance regularly by
pulling on the seat tab. If the seatback
does not latch securely, have it repaired
right away.
A loose seatback can cause
an injury in a sudden stop.
I Safety Belts:
Ziky!re For Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to
use safety belts properly. It
also tells
you some things you should not do
with
safety belts.
CAUTION
Don’t let anyone ride where
they can’t wear a safety belt
properly.
If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing
a safety belt,
your injuries can be
much worse.
You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected
from it. You
can be seriously injured
or killed. In
the same crash, you might not be if
you are buckled up. Always fasten
your safety belt, and check that
your passengers’ belts are fastened
properly too.

This figure lights up when you turn the
key to
Run or Start when your safety
belt isn’t buckled, and you’ll hear a
chime, too. It’s the reminder to buckle
up. In many states and Canadian
provinces, the law says to wear safety
belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never lmow if you’ll be in a crash.
If you do have a crash, you don’t how
if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are very mild. In them,
you won’t get hurt even if you’re not
buckled up. And some crashes can be
so serious, like being hit by a train, that
even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive. But most
crashes are in
between. In many
of them, people who
buclde up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could be
badly hurt
or killed.
After
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes
buckling up does matter
. . . a lot!
17

Seats & Safety Beh
18
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you
go as fast as it goes.
1. For example, if the bike is going 10
mph (16 km/h), so is the child.
2. When the bike hits the block, it
stops. But the child keeps going! 3. Take the simplest “car.” Suppose
it’s just a seat on wheels.

4. Put someone on. it.
7. or the instrument panel . . .
5. Get it up to speed. Then stop the
"car." The rider doesn't stop.
6. The person keeps going until
stopped by something.
In a real
vehicle, it could be the
windshield
. . .
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.
8. or the safety belts!
19

Seats & Safety Belts
20
Here Are Questions Many People
Ask Abouf Safety Belfs-
and fhe Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle
after an accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
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.
A You could be-whether you’re
Q: Why don’t they just put in air bags
so people won’t have to wear safety
belts?
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.
A: “Air bags,” or Supplemental
Q: 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-ven 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 lun) 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.

A
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 Oldsmobile, see the
Index
under Children. Follow those rules
for everyone’s protection.

Seats & Safety Belts
22
Driver Position
This section describes the driver’s
restraint system.
Automatic LapShoulder Belt
This safety belt is called “automatic”
because
you don’t have to^ buckle up
whenyou get into your vehicle.
And you don’t have to unbuckle when
you get out.
Just get into your vehicle. Then close
and rock the door. Adjust the seat (to
see how, see the Index under Seat
Cuntrok) so you can sit up straight.