Page 19 of 258

Seats and Restraint Systems
or the instrument panel ... x 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
;trongest bones take the forces. That’s
why safety belts make such good sense.
Many People Ask about
Safety Belts - and the
Answers
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 an 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 safety
belts?
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
. . .la
ProCarManuals.com
Page 21 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
First, you’ll want to know which restraint
systems
your vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This section describes the driver’s
restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shouldcr bclt. Here‘s
how 10 wear il 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.
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.
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.
... 20
ProCarManuals.com
Page 23 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
8
Q: What's wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong
place.
m
: What's wrong with this?
: 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 budy 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.
C
P
2: What's wrong with this?
\: The belt is twisted across the body.
... 22
ProCarManuals.com
Page 25 of 258

Seats and Restraint Systems
L
Rear Seat Passengers
It‘s very important for rear seat
passengers
to buckle up! Accident
statistics show that unbelted people in the
rear seat are hurt more often
in crashes
than those who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted
can be thrown
out of the vehicle in a
crash. And
they can strike others in the
vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The rear seats have lap-shoulder belts.
Here’s how
to wear one properly.
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the
belt across you. Don’t
let it get
twisted.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle
until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it
is secure.
When the shoulder belt
is pulled out all
the way,
it will lock. If it does, let it go
back all the way and start again.
If the belt is not long eqough, 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.
... 24
ProCarManuals.com
Page 27 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
0 To unlatch the belt, just push the
button on the buckle.
I
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection!
That includes infants and all children
smaller than adult size. In fact, the law
in
every state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says children
up
to some age must be restrained while in a
vehicle.
Smaller Children and Babies
... 26
ProCarManuals.com
Page 29 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
Top Strap
If your child restraint has a top strap, it
should be anchored.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Rear
Seat
You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See
the earlier section
about the top strap if
the child restraint has one.
1. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow
the instructions for the child restraint.
2. Secure the child in the child restraint
as the instructions say.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap
and shoulder portions of the vehicle's
safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint
instructions
will show you how.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the
child's face
or neck, put it behind the
child restraint.
4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release
button is positioned
so you would be
able to unbuckle the safety belt
quickly
if you ever had to.
... 28
ProCarManuals.com
Page 31 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat
You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See
the earlier section
about the top strap if
the child restraint has one.
1. This is the only place in your vehicle
where
you can use a child restraint
with a top strap.
2. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow
the instructions for the child restraint.
3. Secure the child in the child restraint
as the instructions say.
4. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap
and shoulder portions of the vehicle's
safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint
instructions
will
show you how.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the
child's face or neck,
put it behind the
child restraint.
5. Buckle the belt.
Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to
unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you
ever
had to.
... 30
ProCarManuals.com
Page 33 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
restraints should wear the vehicle’s safety
belts.
Accident statistics show that children are
safer if they are restrained
in the rear seat.
But they need to use the safety belts
properly.
0 Children who aren’t buckled up can
be thrown out
in a crash.
0 Children who aren’t buckled up can
strike other people who are.
... 32
ProCarManuals.com