1997 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA Owners Manual

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...
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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.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
e.' 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 C'CIM unbuckle and get out, is rwch greater if
you are belted.
Q.' 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.
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&= If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
home, why should I wear safety belts?
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.
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
Oldsmobile, 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.
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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.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t
let it get twisted.
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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5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt
as you pull up on the shoulder belt. 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 be.lt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks
if there’s a sudden stop or a crash.
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What's wrong with this?
I 1
J
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
---1 shoulder belt should fit against your body.
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What's wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
c
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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Q: What’s wrong with this?
J I L
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It sl~ould
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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