1996 GMC SIERRA Owners Manual

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Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says
to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know
if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be
so serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t
survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of
them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. .In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast
as it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle.
Suppose it’s just a seat
on wheels.
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Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.
Put
someone on it.
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The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield
...
or the instrument panel ...
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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.
e.' If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
A: 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 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.
wear safety belts?
i 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,
1 and your strongest bones take the forces. That's why
1 safety belts make such good sense.
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&.’ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
home, why should I wear safety belts?
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. 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.
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.
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3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
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.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
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 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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Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
!It is You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder be
too loose. In a crash, you would move forward
too much, which could increase injury. The
shoulder belt should fit against your body.
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