1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Q.’ Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
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.
Q.’ If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
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.
wear safety belts?
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 kmh).
Safety belts are for everyone.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
vehicle, 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.
“i
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let
it get twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 a crash.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt
adjuster to the height that is right for you.
To move it down, push in at the top of the arrows and
move the height 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 pushing in 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 shoulder.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What's wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. 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.
'A
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine &: 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 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 serious internal injuries.
Always buckle your belt into the buckle
nearest you.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What's wrong with this?
Ill l,--L-/ ! -.I I
A: The belt is over an armrest.
/II CAI, LION:
-
You can be seriously injured if your belt goes
over an armrest like this. The belt would be much
too high.
In a crash, you can slide under the belt.
The belt force would then be applied at the
abdomen, not at the pelvic bones, and that could
cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt
goes under the armrests.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @ What's wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.
I
' 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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