Page 31 of 402

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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?
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.
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 lunih).
Safety belts are for everyone.
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Page 32 of 402
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
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.
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
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Page 33 of 402
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3.
4.
Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
On convertible models, the shoulder belt may lock if
you pull the belt across you very quickly.
If this
happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it.
Then pull the belt across you more slowly.
Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch
plate and keep pulling until you can buckle the belt.
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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Page 34 of 402
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 belt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or crash.
On convertible models, the safety belt also locks
if you
pull the belt very quickly out
of the retractor.
Page 35 of 402
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q." What's wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won't give nearly
as much protection this way.
CAUTION:
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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Page 36 of 402
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What’s wrong with this?
~~
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
3
CAUT IN:
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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Page 37 of 402
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.
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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Page 38 of 402
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine e.’ What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
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.
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