2001 Mazda Tribute Owner's Manual - Page 82

Seating and safety restraints Reasons given...Belts wrinkle my clothes The people I'm with don't wear belts I have an air bag I'd rather be thrown clear Consider...Possibly, but a serious crash can do much more than wrinkle your clothes, particularly if you are unbelted. Set 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. Air bags offer greater protection when used with safety belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers. Not a good idea. People who are ejected are 40 times more likely to DIE. Safety belts help prevent ejection, WE CAN'T PICK OUR CRASH . WARNING: Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid the Safety Belt Warning Light. Sitting on the safety belt will increase the risk of injury in an accident. Safety belt maintenance Inspect the safety belt systems periodically to make sure they work properly and are not damaged. NOTE:If unsure about the proper procedures, bring your vehicle to an authorized Mazda dealership for inspection. Inspect the safety belts to make sure there are no nicks, tears or cuts, replacing if necessary. All safety belt assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front seat belt buckle assemblies, buckle support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped), shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped), shoulder belt guide on seatback (if equipped), child safety seat tether bracket assemblies (if equipped), LATCH child seat tether anchors and lower anchors (if equipped), and attaching hardware, should be inspected after a collision. Mazda recommends that all safety belt assemblies used in vehicles involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and an authorized Mazda technician finds that the belts do not show damage and continue to operate properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in use during a collision should also be inspected and replaced if either damage or improper operation is noted. 82