airbag Mercury Sable 2000 Owner's Manuals

The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts:
(All statistics based on U.S. data)
Reasons given... Consider...
9Crashes are rare
events9
36 700 crashes occur every day.The more we
drive, the more we are exposed to9rare9events,
even for good drivers.1 in 4 of us will be seriously
injured in a crash during our lifetime.
9I'm not going far93of4fatal crashes occur within25miles of home.
9Belts are
uncomfortable9Ford designs its safety belts to enhance comfort. If
you are uncomfortable - try different positions for
the safety belt upper anchorage and seatback
which should be as upright as possible; this can
improve comfort.
9I was in a hurry9Prime time for an accident.Belt Minder reminds
us to take a few seconds to buckle up.
9Seat belts don't
work9Safety belts,when used properly,reduce risk of
deathto front seat occupants by45% in cars,
and by60% in light trucks.
9Traffic is light9Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in single-vehicle
crashes,many when no other vehicles are around.
9Belts wrinkle my
clothes9Possibly, but a serious crash can do much more
than wrinkle your clothes, particularly if you are
unbelted.
9The people I'm
with don't wear
belts9Set the example, teen deaths occur 4 times more
often in vehicles with TWO or MORE people.
Children and younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
9I have an air bag9Air bags offer greater protection when used with
safety belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers.
9I'd rather be
thrown clear9Not a good idea,peoplewho areejected are 40
times more likely to DIE.Safety belts help
prevent ejection, WE CAN'T9PICK OUR CRASH9.
Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid the Belt
Minder chime. Sitting on the safety belt will increase risk of
injury in an accident. To disable (one-time) or deactivate the Belt
Minder feature please follow the directions stated below.
Seating and safety restraints
90

The air bag supplemental restraints are an intergral part of the Personal
Safety System. They are designed to be deployed in cases where the
Personal Safety System has determined the occupant conditions and
crash severity are appropriate to activate these devices. Refer to the
Personal Safety Systemsection in this chapter.
Important supplemental restraint system precautions
Air bags DO NOT inflate slowly or
gently and the risk of injury from a
deploying air bag is greatest close to
the trim covering the air bag
module.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag SRS is
provided.
Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm (10 inches)
between an occupant's chest and the driver air bag module.
Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the airbag:
²Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
Seating and safety restraints
94

How does the side air bag system work?
The side air bag system consists of
the following:
²An inflatable nylon bag (air bag)
with a gas generator concealed
behind the outboard bolster of
the driver and front passenger
seatbacks.
²A special seat cover designed to
allow airbag deployment.
²The same warning light,
electronic control and diagnostic
unit as used for the front air
bags.
²Two crash sensors located under
the outboard side of the front
seats, attached to the floor.
Side air bags, in combination with seat belts, can help reduce the risk of
severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact collision.
The side air bags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the
front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the air bag on the side affected
by the collision will be inflated, even if the respective seat is not
occupied. The air bag was designed to inflate between the door panel
and occupant to further enhance the protection provided occupants in
side impact collisions.
The air bag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral
deceleration sufficient to cause the sensors to close an electrical circuit
that initiates air bag inflation.
The fact that the air bags did not inflate in a collision does not mean that
something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the forces were
not of the type sufficient to cause activation. Side air bags are designed
to inflate in side-impact collisions, not roll-over, rear-impact, frontal or
near-frontal collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral
deceleration.
Seating and safety restraints
98