2003 Chevrolet Malibu Owner's Manual - Page 18

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts 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. Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to wear safety belts? or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That's why safety belts make such good sense. 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 beits - not insteaa oi tnem. 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 othrr collisions. 1-11