1996 GMC SAVANA Owners Manual

Why Safety Belts Work
1
. . . -.. ,
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat
on wheels. Put someone on
it.
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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 ...
-i
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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. YOLI stop over more distance,
and
your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such
good sense.
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Here Are Questions Many People Ask Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
About Safetv Belts -- and the Answers home, why should I wear safety belts?
Q:
A:
A:
U
Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
You coclld 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 IHLI~II greater if
you are belted.
If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear
safety belts?
Air bags are in many vehicles today and will
be in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only;
so they work cvith
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 ktn/h).
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 vehicle, 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. Here’s how to wear
it 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.
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1
5. To make the lap part tight, pull down 011 the buckle
end
of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt. 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 slloulder 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.
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Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt
adjuster
to the height that is right for you.
To move it down, push in at the word PRESS and move
the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move
the adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt
guide. After you move the adjuster
to where you want it,
try to move it down without pushing in to make sure it
has locked into position.
Adjust the height
so that the shoulder portion of the
belt
is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be
away from your face and neck, but not falling off
your shoulder.
.
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&= What's wrong with this?
L
- I
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is
too loose. In a crash, you would move forward
too much, which could increase injury. The
shoulder belt should
fit against your body.
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won't give nearly
as much protection this way.
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