CHEVROLET CORVETTE 1997 5.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.
1-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine .. .. . ..
The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel . . .
1-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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?

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 passenger 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.
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
Corvette, 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.
1-11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats’? in the
so you can sit up straight. wear
Index)
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
When the lap portion
of the belt is pulled out all the
way, it will lock.
If it does, let it go back all the way
and start again. See “Lap Belt Cinch Feature” in
the Index.
I 1-12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or crash.
Lap Belt Cinch Feature
If you do not want the lap belt to move freely, pull the
lap belt out all the way to set the lock. To permit the lap
belt to move freely again, unbuckle the belt, let it retract
all the way, and buckle up again.
1-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine a CAUTION:
-
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.
Qt What’s wrong with this?
-
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
1-14
-. - ~~~ -----------n*>. ,-I__ --I- .. . -- ~ ., - .. . ,.. .~ ~. .. . ~. .

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured 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.
1-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What’s wrong with this?
A c. I
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.
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be
worn over the shoulder at all times.
1-16

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.
1-17