BUICK PARK AVENUE 1998 Owner's Manual

You never know if you'll be in a crash. If yo3 do have
a crash, you don't know if it will be a bad oDe.
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.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!
..... .............................. :.:::::;:.:.::::.:.:.:-:: .................... ................................................ _..: ..... .*.....-
Fake the simplest vehicle. Suppose It's just a seat
on wheels.
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ht someone it.
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, . . . . . .
The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a red vebicle, it codd be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel . . .
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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.
Q: Won’t 1 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 unbuckle a sdety belt,
even if you’re upside.down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you cun unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you
are belted.
@’ If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be
in most
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.
wear safety belts?
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@ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive €as from
home, why should
I wear safety belts?
A t YQU may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
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 h> of
home.
And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 krm/h).
Safety belts are for everyone. First,
you’ll want to know which restraint systorris your
vehicle has.
We’ll start
with the driver position.
This
part describes the driver’s restraint system.
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The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
3. Pick up the Batch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
E
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 i€ you ever had to.
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A ne shoulder belt is too loose. ~t won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
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J
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