belt GMC SAVANA 1997 Owner's Guide

Smaller Children and Babies (Cargo
Vans with Passenger Air Bags)
A CAUTION:
A very young child’s hip bones are so small that a
regular belt might not stay low on the hips, as it
should. Instead, the belt will likely be over the
child’s abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply
force right on the child’s abdomen, which could
cause serious or fatal injuries. Smaller children
and babies should always be restrained in a child
restraint. However, infants, who should be
restrained in a rear-facing child restraint, cannot
ride safely in this vehicle. The instructions for the
restraint will say whether it is the right type and
size for your child.
If a forward-facing child
restraint
is suitable for your child, be sure the
child
is always properly restrained while riding in
this vehicle. Never hold
a baby in your arms while riding in a
vehicle. A baby doesn’t weigh much -- until a
crash. During a crash a baby will become so
CAUTION: (Continued)
ProCarManuals.com

heavy you can't hold it. For example, in a crash
at only 25 mph (40
km/h), a 12-1b. (5.5 kg) baby
will suddenly become
a 240-lb. (110 kg) force on
your
arms. The baby would be almost impossible
to hold.
Child Restraints
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.
The instructions that come with the infant or child
restraint will show
you how to do that.
Where to Put the Restraint (Except Cargo
Vans and Cab and Chassis Models).
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. We at
General Motors therefore recommend that you put your
child restraint in a rear seat. If your vehicle has a front
passenger air bag,
never put a rear-facing child restraint
in the front passenger seat. Here's why:
A CAUTION:
m
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured
if the right front passenger's
air bag inflates. This is because the back of a
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating
air bag. If your vehicle has a right
front passenger's air bag, always secure a
rear-facing child restraint in
a rear seat.
You may, however, secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat. Before you secure
a forward-facing child restraint, always move the
front passenger seat as far back as it will go. Or,
secure the child restraint in a rear seat.
1-40
ProCarManuals.com

Top Strap
Some child restraints have a top strap. Don’t use
a restraint like that in your vehicle because the top
strap anchor cannot be installed properly.
You
shouldn’t use this type of child restraint without
anchoring the top strap.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has
one.
1. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
2. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
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.
1-42
ProCarManuals.com

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.
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
1-43
ProCarManuals.com

6. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the
retractor while you push down on the child restraint.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
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 a
Center Seat Position
You'll be using the lap belt.
See the earlier part about the top strap
if the child
restraint has one.
1-44
ProCarManuals.com

1.
2.
3.
4.
Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling it along the belt.
Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
Secure the child
in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
5.
6.
7.
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.
To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you push
down on the child restraint.
Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
If it isn’t, secure the
restraint in a different place in the vehicle and
contact the child restraint maker for their advice
about how to attach the child restraint properly.
1-45
ProCarManuals.com

To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt. It will
be ready to work for an adult or larger
child passenger.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
If your vehicle has a front passenger air bag, never put a
rear-facing child restraint in this seat. Here’s why:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the front passenger’s air bag
inflates. This is because the back of
a rear-facing
child restraint would be very close to the inflating
air bag.
If your vehicle is a passenger van, always
secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat.
If your vehicle is a cargo van with a right front
passenger air bag, do not use a rear-facing child
restraint in this vehicle.
If a forward-facing child
restraint is suitable for your child, always move
the passenger seat
as far back as it will go.
I
I
ProCarManuals.com

You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if
the child restraint has one.
1.
2.
3.
4.
If your vehicle has a front passenger air bag, always
move the seat
as far back as it will go before
securing a forward-facing child restraint. (See
“Seats” in the Index.)
Put the restraint
on the seat. Follow the instructions
for
the child restraint.
Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
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
@eS in front of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
h
5. 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.
1-47
ProCarManuals.com

6. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock. 7. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the
retractor while you push down on the child restraint.
8. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it
is secure.
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.
1-48
ProCarManuals.com

Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child restraints 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.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear seat. But they need to use the
safety belts properly.
Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in
a crash.
Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other
people who are.
ProCarManuals.com