1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette Owner's Manual - Page 41

Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers A: Q: Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I'm wearing a safety belt? If I'm a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? 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 in-juries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. 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 c m unbuckle and get out, is ~ m c greater if h you are belted. If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to wear safety belts? 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 salehas 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 i n side and other collisions.