Chevrolet 1998 Cavalier Owner's Manual page 27

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 30 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.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat
on wheels.
1-9