1995 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Owners Manual

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more
likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash.
For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger PQsition
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt. See “Driver Position,”
earlier in this section.
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
out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike
in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. thrown
~ others
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The rear seats have lap-shoulder belts. Here’s how to
wear one properly.
1. Pick uu the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
On convertible models, the shoulder belt may lock if
you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this
happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it.
Then pull the belt across you more slowly.
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2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
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If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling until
you can buckle it.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not 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.
3. To make the
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.
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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,
On convertible m&dels, the safety belt also locks
if you
pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
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To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
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
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Child Restraints
Be sure to follow the instructions for the restraiDt. You
may find these instructions on the restraint itself or hi a
booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system in
your vehicle, but the child also has to be secured within
the restraint to help reduce the chance
of personal injury.
The instructions that come with the infant or child
restraint
will show you how to do that.
., , .-
Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained
in the rear rather than the fi-ont seat. We at
General Motors therefore recommend that
you put your
child restraint in the rear seat.
Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in tie front passenger seat. Here's why:
. .. .i .. '. Wherever you install it, be sure to secure the 63;lild
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint ;can move
around in a collision or sudden stop and injurepeople in
the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child
restraint in your vehicle -- even when no childis in it.
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'Top Strap If you have a convertible, don't use a restraint that has a
top strap in your vehicle because the top strap anchor
cannot be installed properly.
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored.
If you need to have an anchor installed, you can ask
your Pontiac dealer to put it in for you. If you want to
install an anchor yourself, your dealer can tell you how
to
do it.
For cars first sold in Canada, child restraints with a top
strap must be anchored according to Canadian Law.
Your dealer can obtain the hardware kit and install it for
you, or you may install it yourself using the instructions
provided in the kit.
Use the tether hardware kit available from the dealer.
The hardware and installation instructions were
specifically designed for this vehicle.
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Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap
if the chld 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. Tilt the latch plate to adjust the
belt if needed.
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.
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