Saab 2001 9-3 Owner's Manual page 13

Safety-belt pretensioners
The belts of the front seats are fitted with
automatic pretensioners, which are acti-
vated in the event of a severe frontal colli-
sion or very violent rear-end collision. They
serve to reduce the forward movement of
the body by tensioning the belt.
The belt pretensioners do not activate in
less violent frontal or rear-end collisions.
WARNING
If the car is involved in a collision, the
safety belts, belt pretensioners and other
components must be inspected by an
authorized Saab dealer and replaced as
necessary.
Never make any alterations or repairs to
the safety belt yourself but visit an author-
ized Saab dealer.
Correct position for safety belt
• The lap part of the belt should be pulled
as tightly as comfortable and as low as
possible across the hips, so that it is just
touching the top of the thighs. The shoul-
der belt should be well in on the shoulder
but not touching the neck.
WARNING
Proper positioning of the safety belt is
extremely important. An out of position
safety belt can result in the wearer sliding
underneath the belt in a collision (subma-
rining) and injury can result from the lap
portion cutting into the abdomen.
• Check to ensure that the belt is not twisted
or rubbing against any sharp edges.
• There should not be any slack in the belt.
Pull the belt tight – particularly important
when thick outer clothing is worn.
Safety
Sit correctly before putting the belt on
• Refrain from tilting the backrest more than
necessary, as the safety belt provides
better protection when the seat is in the
more upright position.
• Only one person per safety belt!
WARNING
If two people share a belt, they risk injury
by being crushed together in the event of
an accident.
• For most of the time a safety belt is worn,
the retractor will allow the wearer freedom
of movement. The retractor locks up auto-
matically if the belt is jerked or withdrawn
sharply, the car tilts, the brakes are
applied hard or a collision occurs.
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