Black plate (13,1)
Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - CRC - 8/19/13
Seats and Restraints
3-13
Why Safety Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel
as fast as the vehicle does. If the
vehicle stops suddenly, you keep
going until something stops you.
It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the safety belts!
When you wear a safety belt, you
and the vehicle slow down together.
There is more time to stop because
you stop over a longer distance and,
when worn properly, your strongest
bones take the forces from the
safety belts. That is why wearing
safety belts makes such good
sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle
after a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A:
You
could
be
—
whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not.
Your chance of being conscious
during and after a crash, so you
can
unbuckle and get out, is
much
greater if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why
should I have to wear safety
belts?
A:
Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they work
with
safety belts
—
not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag
is provided, all occupants still
have to buckle up to get the
most protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in
all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
There are special things to know
about safety belts and children. And
there are different rules for smaller
children and infants. If a child will be
riding in the vehicle, see
Older
Children on page 3-34
or
Infants
and Young Children on page 3-37
.
Follow those rules for everyone's
protection.
It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
There are important things to know
about wearing a safety belt properly.