CADILLAC DEVILLE 1997 7.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving. Sitting in
a reclined position
when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t
do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t
do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front
of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries,
The lap belt can’t do
its job either. In a crash
the belt could
go up over your abdomen, The
belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle
is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
1-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint
is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
The head restraints tilt forward and rearward also.
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 Inflatable Restraint
(SIR), or air bag system.
6!!!, CAUTLN:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.
1-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside
of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured
or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area
of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.) In most 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.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
. . . a lot!

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose
it’s just a seat
on wheels. Put
someone
on it.
1-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
1-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt
or not. But you can 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.
Q: 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?
Q: 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 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 chldren. And there are different rules
for smaller children and babies.
If a child will be riding
in your Cadillac, 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.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats’’ in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
1-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t
let it get twisted. I
Be sure to use the correct buckle when buckling your
lap-shoulder belt.
If you find that the latch plate will
not go fully into the buckle,
see if you are using the
buckle
for the center passenger position.
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.
The safety belt locks
if there’s a sudden stop or crash.
1-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt
adjuster to the height that is right for you.
To move it down, squeeze the release handle and move
the height adjuster to the desired position.
You can move
the adjuster up just by pushing up on the bottom of the
release handle. After you move the adjuster to where
you want it, try to move it down without squeezing the
release handle 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 fiom
your face and neck, but not falling
off your shoulder.
1-15