1996 OLDSMOBILE AURORA child seat

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.
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Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Zhildren and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides will provide added
safety belt comfort for children who have outgrown
child restraints and for small adults. When installed on
a
shoulder belt, the comfort guide pulls the belt away
from the neck and head.
There is one guide for each outside passenger position in
the rear seat.
To provide added safety belt comfort for
children who have outgrown child restraints and for
smaller adults, the comfort guides may be installed on
the shoulder belts. Here’s how to install a comfort guide
and use the safety belt:
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.
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U. nr: cl---
Be sure the child restraint is designed to be used in a
vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it meets
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Then 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.
1 Put the h&Tai *
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.
Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the front passenger seat. Here’s why:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s
air bag inflates. This is because the back of
a
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Always secure
a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat.
You may, however, secure
a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat. Before you secure
a forward-facing child restraint, always move the
front passenger seat
as far back as it will go. Or,
secure the child restraint in the rear seat.
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.
1-34 -
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Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
U
You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one.
1.
2,
3.
Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
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.
r"
4. 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.
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Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Rear
Seat Position
--
You'lI Ge using the lap belt.
See the earlier part about the top strap if the child
restraint has one.
1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling
it along the belt.
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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Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
U
Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag. Never
put a rear-facing child restraint in this seat. Here’s why:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s air
bag inflates. This is because the back of
a
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Always secure a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat.
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one.
1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger air
bag, always move the seat as far back as
it will go
before securing a forward-facing child restraint. (See
“Seats” in the Index.)
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.
4. 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.
If the shoulder belt goes in front
of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
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Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear seat. But they need to use the
safety belts properly.
e Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in
a crash.
0 Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other
people who are. Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same
belt. The
belt can’t properly spread the impact forces. In a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured.
A belt must be used by
only one person at
a time.
@ What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is
so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child’s face or neck?
A: Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but
be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child’s
shoulder,
so that in a crash the child’s upper body
would have the restraint that belts provide. If the
child is sitting in a rear seat outside position, see
“Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” in the Index.
If the child
is so small that the shoulder belt is still
very close
to the child’s face or neck, you might
want
to place the child in the center seat position,
the one that has only a lap belt.
1-43
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Never do this.
Here
a child is sitting in a seat that has a
lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind
the child.
If the child wears the belt in this way, in
a crash the child might slide under the belt. The
belt’s force would then be applied right on the
child’s abdomen. That could cause serious
or
fatal injuries.
Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt
should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching
the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s
pelvic bones in a crash.
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