GMC 1997 Safari Owner's Manual page 21

It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
1 1
Your vehicle has a light
'
I
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See "Safety
Belt Reminder Light" in
the Index
.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here's why: They work.
You never know if you'll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don't know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn't survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
...
a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it
goes.