2011 BUICK LUCERNE page 7

Black plate (17,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far fromhome, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in a
crash —even one that is not your fault —you and
your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good driver
does not 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
This section 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 infants. If a child will be riding in
the vehicle, see Older Children
on page 2‑33orInfants
and Young Childrenon page 2‑36. Follow those rules
for everyone's protection.
It is very important for all occupants to buckle up.
Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of
the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the
vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
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Black plate (26,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder
except for the center front passenger position
(if equipped), which has a lap belt. SeeLap Belt
on
page 2‑32for more information.
The following instructions explain how to wear a
lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats”in the
Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-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.
If the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled
out all the way, the child restraint locking feature
may be engaged. If this happens, just let the belt
go back all the way and start again.
Engaging the child restraint locking feature in
the right front seating position may affect the
passenger sensing system. See Passenger
Sensing System
on page 2‑64for more
information.
3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
If the latch plate will not go fully into the buckle,
check if the correct buckle is being used.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt
Extender
on page 2‑33.
Position the release button on the buckle so that
the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
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Black plate (28,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the
driver and right front passenger seating positions.
Adjust the height so the shoulder portion of the belt
is on the shoulder and not falling off of it. The belt
should be close to, but not contacting, the neck.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
SeeHow to Wear Safety Belts Properly on page 2‑17.
Press the release
button (A) and move the
height adjuster to the
desired position. The
adjuster can be moved
up by pushing up on the
shoulder belt guide.
After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to
move it down without pressing the release button to
make sure it has locked into position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front
outboard occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the
safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe
frontal or near frontal crash if the threshold conditions
for pretensioner activation are met. And, if your vehicle
has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can
help tighten the safety belts in a side crash.
Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners
activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced, and
probably other new parts for the vehicle's safety belt
system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a
Crash on page 2‑71.
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Black plate (32,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Lap Belt
This part is only for the lap belt. To learn how to wear a
lap-shoulder belt, seeLap-Shoulder Belt on page 2‑26.
The vehicle may have a center seating position. When
you sit in the center front 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.
Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap
part of a lap-shoulder belt.
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until
the belt is snug.
If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender
on page 2‑33.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety
belt quickly if necessary.
If you find that the latch plate will not go fully into the
buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be sure
that the latch plate clicks when inserted into the buckle.
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Black plate (34,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder
belt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try
using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See“Rear
Safety Belt Comfort Guides” underLap-Shoulder
Belt
on page 2‑26for more information. If the
shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder,
then return to the booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and snug on the hips,
touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return
to the booster seat.
.Can proper safety belt fit be maintained for length
of trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the
booster seat.
If you have the choice, a child should sit in a position
with a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint
a shoulder belt can provide.
Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can
provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the face
or neck. The lap belt should fit snugly below the
hips, just touching the top of the thighs. This applies
belt force to the child's pelvic bones in a crash.
It should never be worn over the abdomen, which
could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in
a crash. Also see
“Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 2‑26.
According to accident statistics, children and infants
are safer when properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system secured in a rear
seating position.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike
other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out
of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts
properly.
{WARNING:
Never do this.
Never allow two children to wear the same safety
belt. The safety belt can not properly spread the
impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A safety
belt must be used by only one person at a time.
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Black plate (40,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in
the Vehicle
{WARNING:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash
if the child restraint is not properly secured in the
vehicle. Secure the child restraint properly in the
vehicle using the vehicle safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that came with
that child restraint and the instructions in this
manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint
must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems
must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH)
on page 2‑42for more information. A child
can be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.
When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to the
instructions that come with the restraint which may be
on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this
manual. The child restraint instructions are important,
so if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy
from the manufacturer. Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any
child restraint in the vehicle
—even when no child
is in it.
In some areas, Certified Child Passenger Safety
Technicians (CPSTs) are available to inspect and
demonstrate how to correctly use and install child
restraints. In the U.S., refer to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website to locate
the nearest child safety seat inspection station. For
CPST availability in Canada, check with Transport
Canada or the Provincial Ministry of Transportation
office.
Securing the Child Within the Child
Restraint
{WARNING:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash
if the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. Secure the child properly following the
instructions that came with that child restraint.
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Black plate (41,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Where to Put the Restraint
According to accident statistics, children and infants are
safer when properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system secured in a rear
seating position.
We recommend that children and child restraints be
secured in a rear seat, including: an infant or a child
riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in
a forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a
booster seat; and children, who are large enough, using
safety belts.
A label on your sun visor says,“Never put a rear-facing
child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can be seriously
(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag
inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that
an airbag will not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear
seat, even if the airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front
seat, always move the front passenger seat as
far back as it will go. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 2‑64
for additional information.
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Black plate (46,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
According to accident statistics, children and infants
are safer when properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system secured in a rear
seating position. SeeWhere to Put the Restraint
on
page 2‑41for additional information.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System
{WARNING:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to
anchors, the child restraint will not be able to
protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child
could be seriously injured or killed. Install a
LATCH-type child restraint properly using the
anchors, or use the vehicle safety belts to secure
the restraint, following the instructions that came
with the child restraint and the instructions in this
manual.
{WARNING:
Do not attach more than one child restraint to a
single anchor. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause the
anchor or attachment to come loose or even
break during a crash. A child or others could be
injured. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal
injuries during a crash, attach only one child
restraint per anchor.
{WARNING:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle any
unused safety belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder
belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the child restraint has
been installed.
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