BUICK REGAL 1995 Owner's Manual

or the instrument panel ... 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- ,-
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Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Q.’ Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if
I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: YOLI cndd be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not,
But you can lmbuckle 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 1n~tc17 greater if
you are belted.
Why don’t they just put in air bags so people
won’t have
to wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will
be in Inore of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only;
so they work ~Yth
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.
Q.’ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should
I wear safety belts?
A: You 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 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.
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How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part 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 part of this manual 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 part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it
properly.
I. 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 latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let
it get twisted.
The 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.
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4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
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.
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.
5. ‘To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end
of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.
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The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or crash, or To move it down, squeeze the release lever and move
if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor. the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move
the adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster (4-Door Models) guide. After you move the adjuster to where you want it.
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt
adjuster to the height that
is right for you.
try to move it down without squeezing the release lever
to make sure it has locked into position.
Adjust the height
so that the shoulder portion of the belt
is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away
from your face
and neck, but not fillling off your
shoulder.
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Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
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&.' What's wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
.. . , .. . . .. .....
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Q." What's wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if you wear the
shoulder belt under your arm. In
a crash, your
body would move too far forward, which
would
increase the chance of head and neck injury.
Also, the belt would apply
too much force to the
ribs, which aren't
as strong as shoulder bones.
You could also severely injure internal organs
like your liver or spleen.
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What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
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To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
The belt should go back out of the way.
Your Buick has two air bags -- one air bag for the driver
and another air bag for
the right front passenger.
r
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.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS), or air bag system.
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