1996 Ford Escort Owner's Manual - Page 50

Rear Lap Belt RWARNING The lap belts should fit snugly and as low as possible around the hips, not around the waist. RWARNING Be sure the lap belt is fitted snugly and as low as possible around the hips, not around the waist. Failure to do so may increase the risk of injury in the event of a collision. Before you fasten your lap belt, you may need to lengthen it. To lengthen the belt, position the belt tongue at a right angle to the belt. Pull the belt tongue over your lap until it reaches the buckle. To fasten the belt, pull the belt across your hips and insert the tongue into the correct buckle on your seat until you hear a snap and feel it lock. Make sure the buckle is securely fastened. Adjust the belt so that it fits snugly around your hips, as low as possible. If you need to lengthen the belt, unfasten it and repeat the procedure above. If you need to shorten the belt, pull on the loose end of the webbing. To unfasten the belt, push the release button on the end of the buckle. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle. Because the center lap belt does not have a retractor, it should be shortened and fastened when not in use. 48