belt CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1994 User Guide

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 hult - 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 kdh).
Safety belts are for everyone.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is
turned to “Run” or
“Start,” a light will
come on for about
eight seconds to
remind people
to
fasten their safety
belts.
Unless the driver’s safety belt is already buckled,
a tone will also sound.
How To Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This section 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 section after this one, 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.
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Driver Position
This section describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it properly.
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1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index) so you can sit up
straight.
L 1
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. (On some models,
you may hear a clicking sound as the belt is pulled out. The clicking
sound is the shoulder belt tension feature operating properly.) Don’t
let
the belt get twisted.
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 a crash.
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Q: What’s wrong with this?
n n
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly as much protection
this
way.
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Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
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A: The belt is over an armrest.
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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.
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Q: What’s wrong with this?
I I 1 1
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
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1 A CAUT1.ON:
To unlatch the belt,
just push the button on
the buckle. The
belt
should go back out of
I the way.
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.
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Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured
if they don’t wear
safety belts.
A pregnant woman
should wear a
lap-shoulder belt, and
the lap portion should
be worn
as low as
possible throughout
the pregnancy.
The best
way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt
is worn properly, it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective
is
wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s
safety belt. See “Driver Position,” earlier
in this part.
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.
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Center Passenger Position
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has front and rear bench seats, someone can sit in the center
positions.
When you sit in a
center seating
position, you have a
lap safety belt, which
has no retractor.
To
make the belt longer,
tilt the latch plate and
pull it along the belt.
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