1996 PONTIAC PONTIAC Owners Manual

5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle I
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.
14"
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, or
if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
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Q: What’s wrong with this?
I
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.
1 - 1.9
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Q: What's wrong with this?
A:' The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
You can be sericus1y injured if your belt is
buckled in the wrong place like 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 s-erious internal injuries.
Always buckle your belt into the buckle
nearest you.
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@ What's wrong with this?
1
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all
times.
A CAUTIO":
I
You caribe 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.
..
1-21 ..
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Q: What's wrong with this?
You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In
a crash, you wouldn't have the full width of the
belt
to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted,
make it straight so it can work properly, or ask
your dealer to fix it.
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) or air bag system.
Your Pontiac has two air bags -- one air bag for the
driver and another air bag for the right
front passenger.
Here are the most important things to know about the
air bag system:
' ,, ..... .%
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
The
belt should go back out of the way.
Before you
close the door, be sure the belt is out of the
way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the
belt
and your vehicle.
1-23
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ION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if’
you aren’t wearing your safety belt -- even if you
have
an air bag. Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. The air
bag is only a~“supp1ernenta) restraint? that^ is, it
works with safety belts but doesn’t replace them.
Air bags are designed to work only in moderate to
severe crash- where the front of your vehicle hits
something. They aren’t designed to inflate at all in
rolloveq rear, side or low-speed frontal crashes.
Everyone
in your vehicle, including the driver,
should wear a safety belt properly -- whether or
not there’s an air bag for that person.
.~
A CAUTXON:
Air bags inflate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye. If you’re too close to an inflating
air bag, it could seriously injure you. Safety belts
help keep
you in position for an air bag inflation
in a crash.
Always wear your safety belt, even
with an air bag. The driver should
sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
I
An inflating air bag can seriously injure small
children. Always secure children properly in your
vehicle.
To read how, see the part of this manual
called “Children” and the caution label on the
right front passenger’s safety belt.
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SRS AIR BAG
There is an air bag readiness
light on the instrument
panel, which shows
SRS AIR BAG or the
air bag symbol.
The system checks the air bag’s electrica
malfunctions. The light tells
you if there
I system for
is an electrical
problem. See “Air Bag Readiness Light” in the Index
for more information.
How the Air Bag System Works
Where is the air bag?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel.
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