2004 Cadillac DeVille Owner's Manual - Page 18

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts Q: If I'm a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? A: 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. 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. Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to wear safety belts? How to Wear Safety Belts Properly 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 Older Children on page 1-28 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-30. 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. 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. 1-12