GMC SAVANA 1998 Owner's Manual

Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Fdke the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s
just a seat
on wheels.
-. r ...
Put someone on it.
1-13
..
ProCarManuals.com

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn't
stop.
P
The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
1-14
ProCarManuals.com

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.
1-15
ProCarManuals.com

Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
Q: 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
wear safety belts?
@’ If I’m a good driver, and-1 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.
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.
1-16
ProCarManuals.com

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.
1-17
ProCarManuals.com

5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end
of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt. 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.
1-18
ProCarManuals.com

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
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 word PRESS 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.
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.
1-19
ProCarManuals.com

@ What’s wrong with this?
1 I
I
I
You can be seriously hurt if your snoulder 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.
I I
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
1-20
ProCarManuals.com

@ What’s wrong with this?
I I I I I I I I I
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
1
gA 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.
ProCarManuals.com

&." What3 wrong with this?
n
A CAUTION:
I
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.
A: The belt is over an armrest.
1-22
ProCarManuals.com