1995 Oldsmobile Achieva Owner's Manuals

Get it up to speed. 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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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.

Here Are Questions Many People Ask Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers home, why should I wear safety belts?
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if
I’m wearing a safety belt?
You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can 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.
Why don’t they just put in air bags so people
won’t have to wear safety belts?
Air bags are in many 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: 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 kt-&).
Safety belts are for everyone.
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How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part 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 Oldsmobile, see the part of this manual 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.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Was your Oldsmobile first sold, when new, in Canada?
(If it was, a sticker
on the driver’s door will say
“conforms to all applicable Canada motor vehicle
. . .
etc.) If so, then this “Driver Position” part doesn’t apply
to your vehicle,
To learn how to use your driver position
safety belts, read the
Canadian Owner S Manual Safety
Belt Supplement. It comes with every new Oldsmobile
first sold in Canada.
9’
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Automatic Lap-Shoulder Belt
This safety belt is called “automatic” because you don’t
have to buckle up when you get into your vehicle. And you
don’t have to unbuckle when you
get out.
Just get into your vehicle. Then close and lock the door.
Adjust the seat (to see
how, see “Seats” in the Index) so
you can sit up straight.

The lap belt should be worn as low on the hips as
possible.
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.
It’s possible that
an automatic belt could keep you from
fully opening
a door. That can happen if the door was
slammed shut very hard. Just close the door all the way,
then slowly open it.
If that doesn’t fix it, then your
Oldsmobile needs service.

We hope you’ll always keep your automatic belt
buckled. However, you may need to unbuckle it in
an
emergency. To unbuckle the automatic belt, just push the
button
on the buckle.
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.
To reattach the automatic belt:
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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What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
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