1996 PONTIAC GRAND-AM Owners Manual

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 ...
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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. 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 If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
Aboutsafety Belts -- and the Answers home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:
Q.:
A:
Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident’if I’m wearing a safety belt?
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?
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.
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 h/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 specid things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different des
for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding
in your Pontiac, see the part of this manual called
“Childrin.’’ Follow those rules
for everyone’s
protection.
’
First, you’ll want to know which restrakt systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll
start with the driver position.
,
Driver Position
This part describes the drives’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.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t let it get twisted.
, .(’.
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If the belt stops before it reachqs the buckle, tilt the latch 5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
plate
and keep pulling until you can buckle the belt. end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder b’elt.
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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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 shng 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. Thlese
parts
of the body are best able to take belt restraining
forces.
The
safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or crash.
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Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster (&Door Models) To move it down, squeeze the release button and move
Before
you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt
adjuster to the height that is right for you. the 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 squeezing the release button
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
sh'oulder.
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@ What's wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loge. It won't give nearly
as much protection this way.
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.
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