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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 Pontiac, 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 Pontiac 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 Pontiac first sold
in Canada.
Automatic Lap-Shoulder Belt
This safety belt is called “automatic” because you don’t
have to buckle
up when you get into your vehicle.
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Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides will provide added
comfort for children who have outgrown child restraints
and
for small adults. The comfort guides pull the
shoulder belts away from the neck and head.
There is one guide for each outside passenger position in
the
rear seat. You will find them tucked in between the
seatback and the interior body, about half-way down the
edge of the seatback. Here is how you should install the
comfort guides on the shoulder belts:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback
and the interior body to remove the
guide from its storage'clip.
2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic
cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide
over the belt, and insert
the two edges of the belt into
the slots of the guide.
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Child Restraints Top Strap
Be sure to follow the instructions for the restraint. You
may find these instructions on the restraint itself
or in 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 front seat. We at
General Motors therefore recommend that you put your
child restraint
in the rear seat unless the child is an
infant and you’re the only adult in the vehicle. In that
case, you might want to secure the restraint in the front
seat where you can keep an eye on the baby.
Wherever you install it, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move
around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in
the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child
restraint in your vehicle
-- even when no child is in it.
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.
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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.
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
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. Tilt the latch plate to adjust the
belt
if needed.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
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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.
5. To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt while
you push down on the child restraint.
6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it
go back all the way. The safety belt
will move freely again and be ready
to work for an adult
or larger child passenger.
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Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Rear Seat Position 1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling it along the belt.
U
You’ll be using the lap belt.
See the earlier part about the top strap if the child
restraint has one.
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.
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4. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
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.
6. To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you push
down on the child restraint.
1. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure. If the child restraint
isn’t secure, turn the latch plate over and buckle it
again. Then see if it is secure. If it isn’t, secure the
restraint in a different place in the
vehicle and
contact the child restraint maker for their advice
about how to attach the child restraint properly.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt.
It will be ready to work for an adult or larger
child passenger.
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Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
Was your Pontiac 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 “Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position” part doesn’t apply to your vehicle.
To
learn how to secure a child restraint in the right front
seat, read the
Canadian Owner’s Manual Safety Belt
SuppEernent.
It comes with every new Pontiac first sold
in Canada.
To use a child restraint here, you will need a special
infanuchild seat attaching belt and the hardware that
goes with it. See the earlier part about the top strap if the
child restraint has one.
Your dealer can order the belt and attaching hardware
and install the hardware for
you. It’s free. The special
belt is
GM Part No. 12340286. Your dealer can find the
part number for the correct attaching hardware
in the
accessory section of the
GM Parts Catalog.
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