1994 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Owners Manual

In many states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts.
Here’s why:
They work.
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!
Why 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
(1 6 kdh), so is the
child.
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When the bike hits the
block, it stops. But the child keeps
going!
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Take the simplest
“vehicle.” Suppose
it’s
just a seat on wheels.
. ....
Put someone on it.
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Get it up to speed.
Then stop
the
"vehicle." The rider
doesn't stop.
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windshield ...
or the instrument
panel
...
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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.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts
- and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident ifI’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.
Q : Why don ’t they just put in air bags so people won ’t have to wear
A: Air bags 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.
safety belts?
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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 hult - 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 kdh).
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 already buckled,
a tone will also sound.
How To Wear Safety Belts 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 Vehicle, 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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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.
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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. (On some models,
you may hear a clicking sound as the belt is pulled out. The clicking
sound is the shoulder belt tension feature operating properly.) Don’t
let
the belt get twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch
plate
to make sure it is secure.
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
is positioned so you would be
able
to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on 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.
The safety belt locks
if there’s a sudden stop or a crash.
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Q: What’s wrong with this?
n n
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly as much protection
this
way.
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