
If  I’m  a  good  driver,  and  I  never  drive  far  from 
home,  why  should  I  wear  safety  belts? 
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 km/h). 
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  Oldsmobile,  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. 
Safety 
belts are for everyone. 
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. 
i. 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 Children  and  Small  Adults 
(&Door  Models) 
Four-door  models  may  have rear  shoulder  belt  comfort 
guides.  This  feature  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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II 
4. Buckle,  position  and  release  the  safety  belt  as 
described 
in “Rear Seat Outside  Passenger  Positions 
’ (4-Door  Models)”  earlier  in  this  section.  Make  sure 
that  the  shoulder  belt  crosses  the  shoulder. 
To remove  and  store  the  comfort  guides,  just perform 
these  steps  in  reverse  order.  Squeeze  the  belt  edges 
together 
so that  you  can  take  them  out from  the  guides. 
Pull  the  guide  upward  to  expose  its  storage  clip,  and 
then  slide  the  guide  onto  the  clip.  Rotate  the  guide  and 
clip  inward  and  in  between  the  seatback  and  the  interior 
body,  leaving  only  the  loop 
of elastic  cord  exposed. 
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 
Smaller  children  and babies  should  always  be 
restrained  in 
a child or infant restraint.  The 
instructions  for  the  restraint  will  say whether it 
is  the  right  type and size for your  child. 
A very 
young  child’s  hip  bones  are 
so small that a 
regular  belt  might  not  stay low on the hips,  as it 
should.  Instead, the  belt  will  likely  be  over  the 
child’s  abdomen.  In 
a crash, the belt  would  apply 
force  right on the  child’s  abdomen,  which  could 
cause  serious  or fatal injuries. 
So, be  sure  that 
any  child  small  enough  for one  is  always  properly 
restrained  in 
a child or infant restraint. 
1-36  

Child Restraints 
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. 
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. 
Never put a rear-facing 
child  restraint  in  the front passenger seat.  Here's  why: 
A CAUTlJN: 
A child  in a rearfacing child restraint  can be 
seriously  injured 
if the right front passenger's 
air  bag  inflates.  This  is  because  the back  of a 
rearfacing  child restraint  would  be  very  close  to 
the  inflating  air bag.  Always  secure a rearfacing 
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. 
! 
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.., . ,. -.- ,I . . ... '.,. . -. " .. , . .. .-  

I For cars  first  sold  in  Canada,  child  restraints  with  a  top 
strap  must  be anchored  according  to  Canadian  law. 
I 
Your  retailer  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  retailer. 
The  hardware  and  installation  instructions  were 
specifically  designed  for this  vehicle. 
~ Securing  a Child Restraint  in  a  Rear 
Outside  Seat  Position  (2-Door 
Models) 
U 
If  you  have  a  four-door  model,  see  “Securing  a  Child 
Restraint  in a  Rear  Outside  Seat Position  @-Door 
Models)”  later  in  this  section. 
I 
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.  

5. To  tighten  the  belt,  pull  up on the  shoulder  belt  while 
6. Push  and  pull  the child  restraint  in  different 
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.  you  push  down  on  the  child  restraint. 
directions  to  be  sure  it is secure. 
Securing  a  Child  Restraint  in  a  Rear 
Outside  Seat  Position  (4-DOor  Moilels) 
If  you  have  a  two-door  model, ,see “Securing  a  Child 
Restraint  in 
a Rear  Outside  Seat Position  (2-Door 
Models)”  earlier  in this  section: 
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. 
If  the  shoulder  belt  goes  in front  of  the  child’s  face or 
neck,  put  it behind  the  child  restraint.  

6. To tighten  the  belt,  feed  the  shoulder  belt  back 
into  the  retractor  while  you  push  down  on  the 
child  restraint. 
7. 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. 
Securing a Child  Restraint  in  the  Center 
Rear  Seat  Position 
You’ll be using  the  lap belt. 
A CAFTTTn 
A child  in a child restraint  in  ‘the center front seat 
can  be  badly  injured by the  right  front  passenger 
air bag if it inflates.  Never  secure a child restraint 
in  the center  front seat.  It’s  always  better to 
secure 
a child  restraint  in the  rear  seat. You  may, 
however,  secure 
a forward-facing  child restraint 
in  the right  front passenger  seat,  but only  with 
the seat  moved all the way  back. 
See the  earlier  part  about  the  top  strap  if the  child 
restraint  has  one. 
1-44  

1 
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. 
Securing  a  Child  Restraint  in  the  Right 
Front  Seat  Position 
1 Your  vehicle  has a right front,passenger  air  bag. Never 
put a rear-facing  child  restraint in  this  seat.  Here’s  why: 
L 
A CAUTION: 
A child  in  a  rearfacing  child  restraint  can  be 
seriously  injured  if  the  right  front  passenger’s  air 
bag  inflates.  This  is  because  the  back  of  a 
CAUTION:  (Continued)  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. 
2. 
3. 
4 .. 
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.) 
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. 
If the  shoulder  belt  goes  in  front of the  child’s  face or 
neck,  put  it behind  the child  restraint. 
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