1995 OLDSMOBILE AURORA Owners Manual

Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
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 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?
A: 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.
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.
1-9
ProCarManuals.com

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 Aurora, 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.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. The shoulder portion
of the belt has an energy management loop. It is
designed to open and help protect you in certain crashes.
If
it opens, you will see a label on the safety belt that
says to replace the belt. Be sure to do
so. If you don’t,
the safety belt won’t work properly and won’t protect
you
in another crash. For more information on replacing
safety belts after a crash, see “Replacing Safety Belts”
in
the Index.
Here’s how to wear the lap-shoulder belt 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.
ProCarManuals.com

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t let it get twisted.
h11
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 crash.
1-11
ProCarManuals.com

Shoulder Belt Tightness Adjustment 4.
Your car has a shoulder belt tightness adjustment
feature.
If the shoulder belt seems too tight, adjust it
before you begin to drive.
1. Sit well back in the seat.
2. Start pulling the shoulder belt out.
l 3. Just before it reaches the end, give it a quick pull.
I
Let the belt go back all the way. You should hear a
slight clicking sound.
If you don’t, the adjustment
feature won’t set, and you’ll have
to start again.
5. Now you can add a small amount of slack. Lean
forward slightly, then sit back. If you’ve added more
than
1 inch (25 mm) of slack, pull the shoulder belt
out as
you did before and start again.
If you move around in the vehicle enough, or if you pull
out the shoulder belt, the belt will become tight again.
If
this happens, you can reset it.
1-12
ProCarManuals.com

&.' What's wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won't give nearly
as much protection this way.
1-13
ProCarManuals.com

What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
ProCarManuals.com

What's wrong with this?
1 I I J
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at
all times.
1-15
ProCarManuals.com

&= What’s wrong with this?
L I I I I I I I I 1 1 I
rh: The belt is twisted across the body.
ProCarManuals.com