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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don’t
know
if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even
buckled up a person wouldn’t survive. But most crashes are in between.
In many
of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In -
most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot! La
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine n
1.
1
W%y Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.
.
For example, if the
bike is going 10 mph
(16 km/h), so is the
child.
When the bike hits the
block, it stops. But the
child keeps going!
13
Page 27 of 399
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine r
Take the simplest
vehicle.
Suppose it's
just a seat on wheels.
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Page 28 of 399
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Get it up to speed.
... ... . 1
Then stop the vehicle.
The rider doesn’t stop.
The person keeps
going
until stopped
by something.
In
a real vehicle, it
could be the
windshield
...
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Page 29 of 399
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine or the instrument
panel
...
or the safety belts!
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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Page 30 of 399

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine - HERE ARE QUESTIONS “NYPEOPLE
- AlVSWERS ASKABOUTSAFETYBELTS-AND THE
-
Q : 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.
0: 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.
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 -- 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.
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Page 31 of 399
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to “Run” or “Start,” a chime will come on for about
eight seconds to remind people to fasten their safety belts. The safety belt
light
will also come on and stay on for about 75 seconds. If the driver’s belt is
already buckled, neither the chime nor the light will come on.
HOW TO WE& SAFETYBELTS PROPERLY
Adults
This section is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and
children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies.
If
a child will be riding in your Cadillac, see the section after this one, called
“Children.” Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has.
We’ll start
with the driver position.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine DRIVER POSITION
This section describes the driver’s restraint system.
U
Lapshoulder 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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