1998 CHEVROLET CAMARO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Front Seatback Latches
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their
job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do
its job, In a crash you
could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t
do its job either. In a crash the
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause
serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle
is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back
in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.
The front seatbacks fold
forward
to let people get
into
the back seat.
To fold a seatback forward, lift the latch located on the
lower backside of the seatback. Then the seatback will
fold forward.
When you return the seatback to its original position,
make sure the seatback is locked. The latch must be
down for the seat to work properly.
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If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward
in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury
to the person sitting there. Always press rearward
on the seatback to be sure it is locked.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Folding Rear Seatback
The rear seatback in your vehicle folds down to provide
more storage space.
To fold the seatback down:
1. Pull forward on both levers.
2. Fold the seatback down.
To raise the seatback:
1. Pull it up to the locked, upright position.
2. Be sure both latches hold the seatback in place. Have
them fixed if they don’t.
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not
do
with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly.
If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can
be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed.
In the same crash, you might
not be
if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside
of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas
are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed.
Do not allow people to
ride in any area
of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
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Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as
a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety Belt
Reminder Light”
in
the Index.) In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says
to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many
of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than
30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
c
Take the simplest vehicle. Sumose it's just a seat
on wheels. Put someone
on it.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine r
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Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn't stop.
. ...
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The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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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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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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