Additional Seat Belt Precautions

Using Seat Belts During Pregnancy

The seat belt should always be worn during pregnancy. The best way to protect your unborn child is to protect yourself by always wearing your seat belt.

Pregnant women should always wear the lap and shoulder seat belt. Position the shoulder belt across the chest, between the breasts and away from the neck. Position the lap belt below the abdomen so that it fits snugly and as low as possible on the hips, not across the stomach.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury or death to the unborn child in an accident, pregnant women must NEVER place the lap portion of the seat belt above or over the area of the abdomen where the unborn child is located.

Seat belts and children

Infants and Small Children

All 50 states have child restraint laws that require children to ride in approved child restraint systems, including booster seats. The age and size at which seat belts may be used instead of child restraints varies by state, so you must know the specific requirements in your state and in any state you are traveling to. Infant and child restraint systems must be properly positioned and installed in the rear seat. For more information, refer to "Child Restraint Systems" in this chapter.

WARNING

ALWAYS properly secure infants and small children in a child restraint suitable for the child's height and weight.

To reduce the risk of serious injury or death to the child and other passengers, NEVER hold a child on your lap or in your arms while the vehicle is moving. The forces generated in a crash will tear the child from your arms and throw the child against the interior of the vehicle.

Small children are best protected from injury in an accident when properly secured in a rear seat child restraint system that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Before purchasing any child restraint system, make sure it has a label certifying that it complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213. The restraint must match the height and weight of your child. Check the label on the child restraint for this information. Refer to "Child Restraint Systems" in this chapter.

Older children

Children under 13 years of age and persons too large for a booster seat must always sit in the rear seat and use the available lap/shoulder belts. The lap belt must pass across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt must lie across the shoulder and chest to restrain the child safely. Check the belt fit periodically, as a child who squirms may move the belt out of position. Always have the LATCH system checked by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer after a crash. A crash may damage the LATCH system and it may not be able to properly secure the child restraint.

If a larger child over 13 years of age must sit in the front seat, the child must be securely restrained with the available lap/shoulder belt and the seat must be in the rearmost position.

If the shoulder belt portion lightly contacts the child's neck or face, try moving the child closer to the center of the vehicle. If the shoulder belt still contacts their face or neck, they must be returned to an appropriate booster seat in the rear seat.

WARNING

• Always make sure children are buckled up and properly adjusted before driving.
• NEVER allow the shoulder belt to contact a child's neck or face.
• Do not allow more than one child to buckle into a single seat belt.

Transporting an injured person

The seat belt should be used when transporting an injured person. Consult a physician for specific recommendations.

One person per belt

Two persons (including children) should never attempt to use one seat belt. This may increase the severity of injury in a crash.

Do not recline

Sitting in a reclined position while the vehicle is moving can be dangerous. Even when buckled up, the protection of your restraint system (seat belts and airbags) is significantly reduced by reclining the seatback.

To reduce the likelihood of injury in a crash and to achieve maximum effectiveness of the restraint system, all occupants must sit upright and the front and rear seatbacks must be in the upright position while the vehicle is moving. A seat belt cannot provide proper protection if a person is lying down in the rear seat or if the front or rear seatbacks are in a reclined position.

WARNING

• NEVER ride with the seatback reclined while the vehicle is moving.
• Riding with the seatback reclined increases your chance of serious or fatal injury in a collision or sudden stop.
• Drivers and passengers must always sit well back in their seats, properly belted, with seatbacks upright.