BUICK REGAL 1994 Service Manual
Page 41 of 308
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
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt. See “Driver Position,”
earlier
in this part.
@ Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats’’ in the Index)
so you can sit up straight. Move your seat far enough
forward that your feet touch the part
of the car that is
called the “toeboard” (A). That way you’d be less
likely to slide under the lap belt in a crash.
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Center Passenger Position Lap Belt
-
When you sit in a 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.
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until
the belt is snug.
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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 “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.
1 Rear Seat Passengers (Coupes)
It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up!
Accident statistics show that unbelted people
in the rear
seat are
hurt more often in crashes than those who are
1 wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted can be thrown
out
of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others
in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
U
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
belts. Here’s how to wear one properly.
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Page 44 of 308
’I
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t let
it get twisted.
If
the belt stops before i.t reaches the buckle, tilt the
latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle it.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not 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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I I I I 1 I I I I I I
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end
of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part. 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 a crash.
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/ -"
Rear Seat Passengers (Sedans)
It's very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up!
Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear
seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren't safety belted can be thrown
out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike others
in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
belts. Here's
how to wear one properly.
0 To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the
buckle.
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- . .I
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t
let it get twisted.
Pull up on
the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way,
it
will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and
start again.
If the belt is not 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.
To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt
as you pull up on the shoulder part.
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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 a crash.
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Page 49 of 308
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Your vehicle may be equipped with rear shoulder belt
comfort guides. This feature will provide added comfort
for children who have outgrown child restraints and for
small adults. The comfort guides pull
the shoulder belts
away from the neck and head.
L
There is one guide for each outside passenger position in
the rear seat. You will find them tucked in between the
seatback and the interior body, about half-way down the
edge of the seatback. Here is how
you should install the
comfort guides
on the shoulder belts:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback and the interior body to remove the
guide from its storage clip.
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2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic
cord must be under the belt. Then place the guide
over the belt, and insert the
two edges of the belt into
the slots of the guide.
3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat. The
elastic cord must be under the belt and
the guide on
top.
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