BUICK PARK AVENUE 1994 Owner's Manual

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 Supplemental Restraint System, or
“air bag” system.
- This figure lights up
as a reminder to
buckle
up. (See
“Safety Belt
Reminder Light”
in
the Index.)
In many 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.
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After more than 25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter
... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it
goes.
I
For example, if the bike is going 10 mph (16 km/h), so
is the child.
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I
When the bike hits the block, it stops. But the child
keeps going!
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat on
wheels.
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p= ’: ,
Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.
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I
..
->
... . .
The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle,
it could be the windshield ...
.4
or the instrument panel ...
rl
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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.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
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 easily 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.
&: Why don’t they just put in air bags so people
A: Air bags, or Supplemental Restraint Systems, are in
some vehicles today and will be in more
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.
won’t have to wear safety belts?
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@ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
home, why should I wear safety belts?
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
kmh).
Safetv belts are for everyone.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to “Run” or “Start,” a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts. The safety belt light will also
come
on and stay on for about 70 seconds. If the driver’s
belt
is already buckled, neither the chime nor the light
will come on.
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How To Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
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 babies. If a child will be riding
in your Buick, see the section after this one, 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
This section describes the driver’s restraint system
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Lap-Shoulder Belt
r
’ 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it
properly. 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. 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.
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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 crash.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
You can move the shoulder belt adjuster to the height
that
is right for you.
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