belt GMC SIERRA 2010 Owner's Guide

Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A: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. This applies
belt force to the child's pelvic bones in a crash.
It should never be worn over the abdomen, which
could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in
a crash.
Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 2‑30.
According to accident statistics, children and infants are
safer when properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system secured in a rear
seating position.
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.
{WARNING:
Never do this.
Never allow two children to wear the same safety
belt. The safety belt can not properly spread the
impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A safety
belt must be used by only one person at a time.
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{WARNING:
Never do this.
Never allow a child to wear the safety belt with the
shoulder belt behind their back. A child can be
seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder
belt properly. In a crash, the child would not be
restrained by the shoulder belt. The child could
move too far forward increasing the chance of
head and neck injury. The child might also slide
under the lap belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should
go over the shoulder and across the chest.
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Infants and Young Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes
infants and all other children. Neither the distance
traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes
the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact,
the law in every state in the United States and in every
Canadian province says children up to some age must
be restrained while in a vehicle.
{WARNING:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to tighten. Never leave
children unattended in a vehicle and never allow
children to play with the safety belts.Airbags plus lap‐shoulder belts offer protection for
adults and older children, but not for young children and
infants. Neither the vehicle's safety belt system nor its
airbag system is designed for them. Every time infants
and young children ride in vehicles, they should have
the protection provided by appropriate child restraints.
Children who are not restrained properly can strike
other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle.
2-42

For most basic types of child restraints, there are
many different models available. When purchasing a
child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in a
motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a label
saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety
standards.
The restraint manufacturer's instructions that come
with the restraint state the weight and height
limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints available for
children with special needs.
{WARNING:
To reduce the risk of neck and head injury during
a crash, infants need complete support. This is
because an infant's neck is not fully developed
and its head weighs so much compared with the
rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a
rear-facing child restraint settles into the restraint,
so the crash forces can be distributed across the
strongest part of an infant's body, the back and
shoulders. Infants should always be secured in
rear-facing child restraints.
{WARNING:
A young child's hip bones are still so small that
the vehicle's regular safety belt may not remain
low on the hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may
settle up around the child's abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a body area that is
unprotected by any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal injuries. To reduce the
risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash,
young children should always be secured in
appropriate child restraints.
2-45

Child Restraint Systems
A rear-facing infant
seat (A) provides restraint
with the seating surface
against the back of the
infant.
The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a
crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.
A forward-facing child
seat (B) provides restraint
for the child's body with
the harness.
A booster seat (C-D) is a child restraint designed to
improve the fit of the vehicle's safety belt system.
A booster seat can also help a child to see out the
window.
2-46

Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in
the Vehicle
{WARNING:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash
if the child restraint is not properly secured in the
vehicle. Secure the child restraint properly in the
vehicle using the vehicle's safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that came with
that child restraint and the instructions in this
manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint
must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems
must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH)
on page 2‑50for more information. A child
can be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle. 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.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any
child restraint in the vehicle
—even when no child is
in it.
Securing the Child Within the Child
Restraint
{WARNING:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash
if the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. Secure the child properly following the
instructions that came with that child restraint.
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Where to Put the Restraint
According to accident statistics, children and infants are
safer when properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system secured in a rear
seating position.
We recommend that children and child restraints be
secured in a rear seat, including: an infant or a child
riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a
booster seat; and children, who are large enough, using
safety belts.
If a child restraint is secured in the right front passenger
seat, and the vehicle has a switch in the glove box to
manually turn off the right front passenger airbag,
seeAirbag Off Switch
on page 2‑82and Securing a
Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
(With Passenger Sensing System)
on page 2‑62or
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position (With Airbag Off Switch)
on page 2‑66or
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position (Heavy Duty Crew Cab Only)
on page 2‑70for
more information, including important safety information. A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing
child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag
inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing system or airbag
switch has turned off the right front passenger
frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under
some unusual circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
(Continued)
2-48

Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)
The LATCH system holds a child restraint during
driving or in a crash. This system is designed to make
installation of a child restraint easier. The LATCH
system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments
on the child restraint that are made for use with the
LATCH system.
Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint is
properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle's
safety belts to secure the restraint, following the
instructions that came with that restraint, and also the
instructions in this manual. When installing a child
restraint with a top tether, you must also use either the
lower anchors or the safety belts to properly secure the
child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed
using only the top tether and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you
need a child restraint that has LATCH attachments.
The child restraint manufacturer will provide you with
instructions on how to use the child restraint and its
attachments. The following explains how to attach a
child restraint with these attachments in your vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have
lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors
and attachments.
Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle.
There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating
position that will accommodate a child restraint with
lower attachments (B).
2-50

Crew Cab Shown, Extended Cab Similar
For crew and extended cab models, the top tether
anchors are the loops located near the top of the
seatback for each rear seating position. These loops
will be used to route the top tether through, as well as,
to secure the top tether in the vehicle. Be sure to use
an anchor (loop) located on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint
will be placed. Be sure to read the instructions following to properly
install a child restraint using these loops.
Do not secure a child restraint in a position without a
top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that
the top tether be attached, or if the instructions that
come with the child restraint say that the top tether must
be attached.
According to accident statistics, children and infants are
safer when properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system secured in a rear
seating position. See
Where to Put the Restraint
on
page 2‑48for additional information.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System
{WARNING:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to
anchors, the child restraint will not be able to
protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child
could be seriously injured or killed. Install a
LATCH-type child restraint properly using the
anchors, or use the vehicle's safety belts to
secure the restraint, following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and the instructions
in this manual.
2-54

{WARNING:
Do not attach more than one child restraint to a
single anchor, except for the center top tether
anchors in the crew and extended cabs. Attaching
more than one child restraint to a single anchor
could cause the anchor or attachment to come
loose or even break during a crash. A child or
others could be injured. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during a crash, attach only
one child restraint per anchor.
{WARNING:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle any
unused safety belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to set the lock,
if your vehicle has one, after the child restraint
has been installed.Notice:
Do not let the LATCH attachments rub
against the vehicle’ s safety belts. This may damage
these parts. If necessary, move buckled safety belts
to avoid rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt
buckled. This could damage the safety belt or the
seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its
stowed position, before folding the seat.
Regular Cab Models
1. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the
top tether to the top tether anchor, if your vehicle
has one. Refer to the child restraint instructions
and the following steps:
1. 1. Pull the passenger seatback forward by pulling the recliner handle upward to access
the top tether anchor. See Reclining
Seatbacks
on page 2‑10for additional
information.
1. 2. Find the top tether anchor.
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