1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Owners Manual

or the instrument panel ... 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,
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
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
&.’ Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an . ., . ~ . .
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt? --:+..: 7, ‘ -. ’ .; , :..- . . _. .I . . . .. I .., .
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.
&: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
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.
Q.’ 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).
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 add children. And there are Merent rules for
smaller chldren and babies.
If a child wilI 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.
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.
On convertible models, the shoulder belt may lock if
you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this
happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it.
Then pull the belt across you more slowly.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
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If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch
plate and keep pulling until you can buckle the belt.
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.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end
of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.
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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 crash.
On convertible models, the safety belt also locks if you
pull the belt
very quickly out of the retractor.
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@ What’s wrong with this?
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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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@ What's wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt is
buckled
in the wrong phce Iike this. In a crash,
the belt would
go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic
bones.
This could cause serious internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt .into the
buckle nearest you.
..
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e.'' What's wrong with this?
i
I I I I I I I I I I I
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.
You can be seriously injured if you wear the
shoulder belt under
your arm. In a crash, your
body would move too far forward, which would
increase the chance of head and neck injury.
Also, the belt would apply too much force to the
ribs, which aren't as strong as shoulder bones.
You could also severely injure internal organs
like your liver or spleen.
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