Al
l th e lap/shoulde r belt s excep t
th e driver' s hav e a n additiona l
lockin g mechanis m tha t mus t b e
activate d to secur e a chil d seat .
(Se e page s 2 7 an d 3 2 fo r
instruction s o n ho w to secur e
chil d seat s wit h thi s typ e o f sea t
belt. )
I f th e shoulde r par t o f th e bel t i s
pulle d al l th e wa y out , th e lockin g
mechanis m wil l activate . Th e bel t
wil l retract , bu t i t wil l no t allo w a
passenger to mov e freely .
T o deactivat e th e lockin g
mechanism , unlatc h th e buckl e
an d le t th e sea t bel t full y retract .
T o refaste n th e belt , pul l i t ou t
onl y a s fa r a s needed .
Se e pag e 1 3 fo r instruction s o n
ho w to wea r th e lap/shoulde r bel t
properly . La
p Bel t
Th e la p bel t ha s on e manuall y
adjuste d bel t tha t fit s acros s th e
hips .
T o faste n th e belt , inser t th e latc h
plat e int o th e buckl e marke d
CENTER , the n tu g o n th e bel t t o
mak e sur e th e buckl e i s latched .
T o unloc k th e belt , pus h th e re d
PRES S button .
Se
e pag e 1 4 fo r ho w to lengthe n
th e la p belt , an d ho w to properl y
positio n th e belt .
Sea t Bel t Maintenanc e
Fo r safety , yo u shoul d chec k th e
conditio n o f you r sea t belt s
regularly .
Pul l eac h bel t ou t full y an d loo k
fo r frays , cuts , burns , an d wear .
Chec k tha t th e latche s wor k
smoothl y an d tha t th e lap/shoulde r
belt s retrac t easily . An y bel t no t i n
goo d conditio n o r no t workin g
properl y wil l no t provid e goo d
protectio n an d shoul d b e replace d
a s soo n a s possible .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
T
o hel p automobil e occupant s surviv e th e
tremendo s force s o f a crash , vehicl e
designer s hav e develope d numerou s safet y
feature s an d systems .
Fo r example , moder n automobile s hav e
fron t an d rea r "crus h zones " tha t ar e
designe d t o defor m o r crumpl e i n a crash .
Th e crumplin g lengthen s th e duratio n o f th e
crash , an d help s absor b an d dissipat e cras h
energy , whic h lower s th e rat e o f deceleration
i n th e passenge r compartment .
Th e dashboard , seats , headrest s an d othe r
interio r part s o f automobile s als o us e energy -
absorbin
g material s t o hel p protec t th e
occupants . I n addition , th e steerin g colum n i s
designe d t o collaps e i f struc k durin g a
collision .
Sea t belt s hav e prove n t o b e th e singl e
mos t effectiv e devic e i n reducin g automobil e
fatalitie s an d injurie s i n al l type s o f accidents .
Whe n properl y worn , sea t belt s hel p restrai n
occupant s fro m strikin g interio r part s o f th e
car , the y kee p occupant s connecte d t o th e ca r
s o the y ca n tak e advantag e o f th e energ y
absorptio n buil t int o th e car , an d the y
allo w occupant s t o decelerat e mor e slowl y
durin g a crash . Airbag
s ar e a recen t additio n t o a
car' s occupan t protectio n system . Airbag s
hav e a n importan t bu t limite d role—t o
hel p protec t th e head s an d chest s o f
front-sea t occupant s durin g a sever e
fronta l collision .
However , yo u can' t ge t th e ful l
benefi t o f thes e life-savin g feature s
unles s yo u buckl e up . I n short , it' s bette r
t o le t th e ca r absor b th e energy . It' s buil t
t o tak e it .
