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 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 across the hips and pelvic bone, under the rounded part of the abdomen.

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

In most countries, child restraint laws require children to travel in an approved child restraint system, including booster seats. The age at which seat belts may be used instead of a child restraint system differs between countries, so you should know the specific requirements in your country and where you are traveling. Infant and child restraint systems must be correctly positioned and installed in the rear seat.

For more information, refer to "Child Restraint Systems" in this chapter.

WARNING

ALWAYS properly restrain infants and small children in a child restraint system 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.

Young children are best protected from injury in an accident when properly restrained in a child restraint system on the rear seat that meets the safety standards of your country. Before purchasing any child restraint system, make sure it has a label certifying that it meets the safety standard of your country. The child restraint system must match your child's height and weight. Check the label on the child restraint system for this information. Refer to "Child Restraint Systems" in this chapter.

Older children

Children under 13 years old and persons too large for a booster seat should always occupy the rear seat and use the available lap/shoulder belts. The seat belt should pass across the upper thighs and fit snugly across the shoulder and chest to restrain the child safely. Check the belt fit periodically. A child who squirms may move the belt out of position. In an accident, children are best protected when restrained properly by the child restraint system on the rear seats.

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 that children's seat belts are fastened and properly adjusted.
• 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.

Using Seat Belts and Injured Persons

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, the protection of your restraint system (seat belts and/or airbags) is significantly reduced by reclining the seatback.

Seat belts must fit snugly against the hips and chest to work properly.

During an accident, you may become trapped in the seat belt, resulting in neck or other injuries.

The more the seatback is reclined, the greater the chance that the occupant's hips will slide under the lap belt, or that the occupant's neck will strike the shoulder belt.

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.
• The driver and passengers must always sit upright in their seats, properly belted, with the seatbacks in the upright position.