Important Safety Precautions

You will find many precautions and recommendations on this subject in this section and throughout this manual. The precautions in this section are among the most important.

Always Wear Your Seat Belt

The seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbags are designed to supplement seat belts, not replace them. Therefore, even though your vehicle is equipped with airbags, always make sure you and your passengers are seated properly and wearing seat belts correctly.

Restrain All Children

All children under the age of 13 should ride in the rear seat of your vehicle and be properly secured. Infants and small children must be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system. Older children should use a booster seat with a lap/shoulder belt until they can properly use the seat belt without a booster seat.

Airbag Hazards

Although airbags can save lives, they can also cause serious or fatal injuries to passengers who sit too close to them or who are not properly restrained. Infants, small children, and short adults are at the greatest risk of injury from an inflating airbag. Follow all instructions and warnings in this manual.

Driver Distraction

Driver distraction is a serious and potentially fatal hazard, especially for inexperienced drivers. Safety must be the first priority when driving, and drivers should be aware of a wide range of potential distractions, such as drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating, grooming, distraction from other passengers, and mobile phones.

Drivers may be distracted when they take their eyes and attention off the road or their hands off the steering wheel to focus on an activity other than driving. To reduce the risk of distraction and accidents:

• Set up your mobile devices (such as MP3 players, phones, navigation units, etc.) ONLY when your vehicle is safely stopped and parked.
• Use your mobile device ONLY when permitted by laws and conditions that allow safe use. NEVER write or send messages while driving. Most states have laws that prohibit drivers from sending text messages while driving. Some states and cities also prohibit drivers from using handheld phones while driving.
• NEVER allow the use of a mobile device to distract you from driving. You are responsible to your passengers and others on the road to always drive safely, with your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes and attention on the road.

Never drink or use drugs and drive.

Consuming alcohol or drugs can reduce your ability to react to changing conditions and emergencies. Do not drink or use drugs while driving, and do not allow your friends to drink or use drugs and drive.

Control Your Speed

Excessive speed is a major factor in accident injuries and deaths. In general, the higher the speed, the greater the risk, but serious injuries can also occur at lower speeds. Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the posted speed limit.

Keep Your Vehicle in Safe Operating Condition - Check Your Tires

A tire blowout or mechanical failure can be extremely dangerous. To reduce the likelihood of tire damage while driving, check tire pressure regularly and inspect the condition of the tires (tread depth, uneven wear, etc.). Be sure to perform all regularly scheduled maintenance as specified in this owner's manual.

Reducing the Risk of Rollover

Your multipurpose passenger vehicle is classified as a sport utility vehicle (SUV). Some SUVs have a higher ground clearance and a narrower track width, which make them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road applications. These design features may give them a higher center of gravity than conventional passenger cars, so they are more likely to roll over if you make sharp turns. SUVs have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. Always make sure that you and your passengers wear seat belts properly and securely. In a rollover accident, an unbelted person is much more likely to be seriously injured or killed than a person wearing a seat belt.

There are steps the driver can take to reduce the risk of rollover. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or sudden maneuvers, do not load the vehicle with heavy cargo on the roof, and never modify your vehicle in any way that raises its center of gravity.

WARNING

Some sport utility vehicles (SUVs) may have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. To prevent rollover or loss of control:

• Take turns at a lower speed than you would in a passenger car.
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers.
• Never modify your vehicle in a way that would raise its center of gravity.
• Keep tires properly inflated.
• Do not carry heavy loads on the roof.

WARNING

Always wear your seat belt properly. In a rollover accident, an unbelted person is much more likely to be seriously injured or killed than a person wearing a seat belt.