belt CHEVROLET ASTRO 1998 2.G User Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: CHEVROLET, Model Year: 1998, Model line: ASTRO, Model: CHEVROLET ASTRO 1998 2.GPages: 414, PDF Size: 21.46 MB
Page 28 of 414

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 itas just a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.
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Page 30 of 414

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.
Page 31 of 414

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ‘I 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 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.
@ 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?
@ 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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Page 32 of 414

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 children. And there are different rules
for smaller children and babies. If
a child will be
riding in your vehicle, 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.
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.
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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Page 33 of 414

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Shoulder Belt Height Ad.juster
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt
adjuster to the height that is right for
you.
"
To move it down, push in at the top of the arrows and
move the height adjuster
to the desired position. You can
move the adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder
belt guide. After
you move the adjuster to where you
want it, try to move it down without pushing in to make
sure
it has locked into position.
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Page 34 of 414

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 falling off
your shoulder.
What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt
is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward
too much, which could increase injury. The
shoulder belt should fit against your body.
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Page 35 of 414

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine t
I
'. 1
,Q: What's wrong with this?
I I I I
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injul 1 if your belt is
buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash,
the belt would go up over your abdomen.
The belt forces would be there, not at the
pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt into the
buckle nearest you.
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Page 36 of 414

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q.' What's wrong with this?
A: The belt is over an armrest.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt goes
over an armrest like this. The belt would be much
too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt.
The belt force would then be applied at the
abdomen, not at the pelvic bones, and that could
cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt
goes under the armrests.
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Page 37 of 414

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
I
I 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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Page 38 of 414

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @' What's wrong with this? You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt.
In
a crash, you wouldn't have the full width of the
belt to spread impact forces.
If a belt is twisted,
make it straight
so it can work properly, or ask
your dealer to
fix it.
A: The belt is twisted across the body.