Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-Europe-9367752) -2016 - CRC - 8/13/1590 Seats and RestraintsQ: What is the proper way towear safety belts?A: An older child should wear alap-shoulder belt and get theadditional restraint a shoulderbelt can provide. The shoulderbelt should not cross the face orneck. The lap belt should fitsnugly below the hips, justtouching the top of the thighs.This applies belt force to thechild's pelvic bones in a crash.It should never be worn over theabdomen, which could causesevere or even fatal internalinjuries in a crash.Also see “Rear Safety Belt ComfortGuides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt0 70.According to accident statistics,children are safer when properlyrestrained in a rear seating position.In a crash, children who are notbuckled up can strike other peoplewho are buckled up, or can bethrown out of the vehicle. Olderchildren need to use safety beltsproperly.{ WarningNever allow more than one childto wear the same safety belt. Thesafety belt cannot properly spreadthe impact forces. In a crash, theycan be crushed together andseriously injured. A safety beltmust be used by only one personat a time.{ WarningNever allow a child to wear thesafety belt with the shoulder beltbehind their back. A child can beseriously injured by not wearingthe lap-shoulder belt properly. In acrash, the child would not berestrained by the shoulder belt.The child could move too farforward increasing the chance ofhead and neck injury. The childmight also slide under the lapbelt. The belt force would then beapplied right on the abdomen.That could cause serious or fatalinjuries. The shoulder belt shouldgo over the shoulder and acrossthe chest.
