2002 CHEVROLET C3500 HD Owners Manual

1-18
Q:What's wrong with this?
A:The belt is twisted across the body.
CAUTION:
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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To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
The belt should go back out of the way.
Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the
way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the
belt and your vehicle.
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they don't wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt,
and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible,
below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.

1-20
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect
the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly,
it's more likely that the fetus won't be hurt in a crash.
For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to
making safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger's safety
belt properly, see ªDriver Positionº earlier in this section.
The right front passenger's safety belt works the same
way as the driver's safety belt
-- except for one thing.
If you ever pull the lap portion of the belt out all the
way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature.
If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and
start again.
Center Passenger Position
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.

1-21
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 ªSafety Belt Extenderº 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.
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes
infants and all other children. Neither the distance
traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes
the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. 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.
Infants and Young Children
Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles,
they should have the protection provided by the
appropriate restraint. Young children should not use
the vehicle's safety belts, unless there is no other choice.

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CAUTION:
People should never hold a baby in their arms
while riding in a vehicle. A baby doesn't weigh
much
-- until a crash. During a crash a baby
will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 a person's arms. A baby
should be secured in an appropriate restraint.

1-23
Q:What are the different types of add-on
child restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased
by the vehicle's owner, are available in four basic
types. Selection of a particular restraint should
take into consideration not only the child's weight,
height and age but also whether or not the restraint
will be compatible with the motor vehicle in which
it will be used.
For most basic types of child restraints, there are
many different models available. When purchasing
a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used
in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a
label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer's instructions that
come with the restraint state the weight and
height limitations for a particular child restraint.
In addition, there are many kinds of restraints
available for children with special needs.
CAUTION:
Newborn infants need complete support,
including support for the head and neck.
This is necessary because a newborn infant's
neck is weak and its head weighs so much
compared with the rest of its body. In a crash,
an infant in a rear
-facing seat settles into the
restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed
across the strongest part of an infant's body,
the back and shoulders. Infants always should
be secured in appropriate infant restraints.

1-24
CAUTION:
The body structure of a young child is quite
unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom
the safety belts are designed. A young child's hip
bones are still so small that the vehicle's regular
safety belt may not remain low on the hip bones,
as it should. Instead, it may settle up around the
child's abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply
force on a body area that's unprotected by any
bony structure. This alone could cause serious or
fatal injuries. Young children always should be
secured in appropriate child restraints.
Restraint Systems for Children
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a
motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed to
restrain or position a child on a continuous flat surface.
Make sure that the infant's head rests toward the center
of the vehicle.

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A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with
the seating surface against the back of the infant.
The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a
crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child's body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T
-shaped or shelf-like shields.