1997 Oldsmobile Achieva Owner's Manuals

Lap Belt
When you sit in the center seating position, you have a
lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the belt
longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along
the belt.
To make the belt shorter, pull its -free end as shown until
the belt
is snug.
Buckle, position and release it the same way
as the lap
part of a lap-shoulder belt.
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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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
A CAUTION:
-
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
I
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.
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Never hold a baby in your arms while riding in a
vehicle. A baby doesn't weigh much -- until a
crash. During a crash a baby will become so
CAUTION: (Continued) heavy
you can't hold
it. For example, in a crash
at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12-lb. (5.5 kg) baby
will suddenly become a 240-lb. (110 kg) force on
your
arms. The baby would be almost impossible
to hold.
Secure the baby in an infant restraint.
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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 child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s
air bag inflates. This
is because the back of a
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 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.
Wherever you install
it, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that
an unsecured child restraint can move
around in
a collision or sudden stop and injure people in
the vehicle. Be SUI-e to properly secure any child
restraint
in your vehicle -- even when no child is in it.

Top Strap If your child restraint has a top strap, your retailer can
obtain a kit with anchor hardware and installation
instructions designed for this vehicle. The retailer can
then install the anchor for you. In Canada, this work will
be done for you free
of charge. Or, you may install
the anchor hardware using the instructions provided
in the kt.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored.
If you need to have an anchor installed, you
can ask your Oldsmobile retailer
to put it in for you. If
you want to install an anchor yourself, your retailer can
tell you how to do
it.
Canadian law requires that child restraints have a top
strap, and that strap be anchored. 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.
Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if
you ever had to.
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5. To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt while
you push down on the child restraint.
6. 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
U
You’ll be using the lap belt.
See the earlier part about the top strap if the child
restraint has one.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling it along
the belt.
Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
Secure the child
in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
Run the vehicle's safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
5. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
down on the child restraint.
6. To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you push
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure
it is secure. If it isn't, secure the
restraint
in a different place in the vehicle and
contact
the child restraint maker for their advice
about how
to attach the child restraint properly.
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