belt CHEVROLET S10 2002 2.G Owner's Guide

1-46
Q:How do child restraints work?
A:A child restraint system is any device designed for
use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position
children. A built
-in child restraint system is a
permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add
-on
child restraint system is a portable one, which is
purchased by the vehicle's owner.
For many years, add
-on child restraints have used
the adult belt system in the vehicle. To help reduce
the chance of injury, the child also has to be
secured within the restraint. The vehicle's belt
system secures the add
-on child restraint in the
vehicle, and the add
-on child restraint's harness
system holds the child in place within the restraint.
One system, the three
-point harness, has straps that
come down over each of the infant's shoulders and
buckle together at the crotch. The five
-point
harness system has two shoulder straps, two hip
straps and a crotch strap. A shield may take the
place of hip straps. A T
-shaped shield has shoulder
straps that are attached to a flat pad which rests low
against the child's body. A shelf
- or armrest-type
shield has straps that are attached to a wide,
shelf
-like shield that swings up or to the side.When choosing a child restraint, be sure the child
restraint is designed to be used in a vehicle. If it is, it
will have a label saying that it meets federal motor
vehicle safety standards.
Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may
find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system in
your vehicle, but the child also has to be secured within
the restraint to help reduce the chance of personal injury.
When securing an add
-on child restraint, refer to the
instructions that come with the restraint which may be
on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this
manual. The child restraint instructions are important, so
if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy from
the manufacturer.

1-51 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position (Crew Cab Models)
You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one. Be sure
to follow the instructions that came with the child
restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and
as the instructions say.
1. Put the restraint on the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle's safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child's face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
3. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

1-52
4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.5. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into
the retractor while you push down on the child
restraint. If you're using a forward
-facing child
restraint, you may find it helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child restraint as you tighten
the belt.
6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.

1-53
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle's
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt
will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult
or larger child passenger.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Front Seat Position (Regular Cab &
Extended Cab Models) and in the Center
Rear Seat Position (Crew Cab Models)
Don't use child restraints in these positions. The
restraints won't work properly.Jump Seats (Extended Cab)
Don't use child restraints in these positions. The
restraints won't work properly.

1-56
You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one. Be sure
to follow the instructions that came with the child
restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and
as the instructions say.
1. Your vehicle has a right front passenger's air bag.
If your vehicle is a regular cab pickup or an extended
cab pickup and you are using a rear
-facing child
restraint in this seat, make sure the air bag is turned
off. See ªAir Bag Off Switchº in the Index. On all
models, if your child restraint is forward
-facing,
always move the seat as far back as it will go before
securing it in this seat. See ªSeatsº in the Index.
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle's safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child's face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

1-57
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.6. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into
the retractor while you push down on the child
restraint. If you're using a forward
-facing child
restraint, you may find it helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child restraint as you tighten
the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.

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To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle's
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt
will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult
or larger child passenger.
If you were using a rear
-facing child restraint in a
regular cab model or extended cab model, turn on the
right front passenger's air bag when you remove the
rear
-facing child restraint from the vehicle unless the
person who will be sitting there is a member of a
passenger air bag risk group. See ªAir Bag Off Switchº
in the Index.
CAUTION:
If the right front passenger's air bag is turned off
for a person who isn't in a risk group identified
by the national government, that person won't
have the extra protection of an air bag. In a
crash, the air bag wouldn't be able to inflate and
help protect the person sitting there. Don't turn
off the passenger's air bag unless the person
sitting there is in a risk group. See ªAir Bag Off
Switchº in the Index for more on this, including
important safety information.

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Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle's safety belts.
If you have the choice, a child should sit next to a
window so the child can wear a lap
-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide.
Q:What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A:If possible, an older child should wear a
lap
-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a
shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt should
not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should fit
snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the
thighs. It should never be worn over the abdomen,
which could cause severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike
other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out
of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts
properly.

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CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt can't properly spread the impact forces. In a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured. A belt must be used by
only one person at a time.
Q:What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child's face or neck?
A:Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but
be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child's
shoulder, so that in a crash the child's upper body
would have the restraint that belts provide. If the
child is so small that the shoulder belt is still very
close to the child's face or neck, you might want to
place the child in a seat that has a lap belt, if your
vehicle has one.

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CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a
lap
-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind
the child. If the child wears the belt in this way, in
a crash the child might slide under the belt. The
belt's force would then be applied right on the
child's abdomen. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries.
Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt
should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching
the child's thighs. This applies belt force to the child's
pelvic bones in a crash.