Seat Belt Precautions

WARNING

All vehicle occupants must always wear their seat belts. Seat belts and child restraints reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury to all occupants in the event of a collision or sudden stop. Passengers without seat belts may be thrown too close to the deploying airbag, strike the interior structure, or be ejected from the vehicle. Properly worn seat belts significantly reduce these hazards.

Always observe the seat belt, airbag, and passenger seat precautions contained in this manual.

Infant or Small Child

You must be aware of the specific requirements in your country. The child and/or child seats must be properly positioned and installed on the rear seat.

For more information on using these restraint devices, refer to "Child Restraint Systems" in this chapter.

WARNING

Every person in your vehicle must always be properly restrained, including infants and children. Never hold a child in your arms or on your lap while riding in the vehicle. The forces generated during an accident will tear the child from your arms and throw the child inside the vehicle. Always use a child restraint that matches your child's height and weight.

✽ NOTICE

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

Older children

Children who are too large for child restraint systems must always sit in the rear seat and use the available lap/shoulder belts. The lap portion must be secured and fitted snugly against the hips and as low as possible. Check the belt fit periodically. If the child slouches, the belt may move out of position. Children are safest in a crash when properly restrained by an appropriate restraint system in the rear seat. If a child over 12 years old must sit in the front seat, the child must be securely restrained with the available lap/shoulder belt and the seat must be moved to the rearmost position. Children aged 12 years and under must be properly restrained in the rear seat. NEVER place a child aged 12 years or under in the front seat. NEVER install a rear-facing child seat in the front passenger seat.

If the shoulder belt portion lightly touches the child's neck or face, try moving the child closer to the center of the vehicle. If the shoulder belt still touches their face or neck, the child must be returned to the child restraint system.

WARNING - Shoulder Belts on Small Children

• Never allow the shoulder belt to contact a child's neck or face while the vehicle is in motion.
• If seat belts are improperly fitted and adjusted on children, there is a risk of death or serious injury.

Pregnant Women

Pregnant women are advised to wear the seat belt to reduce the likelihood of injury in an accident. When wearing the seat belt, the lap portion should be positioned as low as possible and as snugly as possible across the hips, not across the abdomen. For specific recommendations, consult your physician.

WARNING - Pregnant Women

Pregnant women must never place the lap portion of the seat belt over the abdomen where the fetus is located, or above the abdomen, where the belt could crush the fetus during an impact.

Injured Person

The seat belt should be used when transporting an injured person. When necessary, consult a physician for guidance.

One person per belt

Two people (including children) should never attempt to use one seat belt. This may increase the severity of injuries in an accident.

Do not recline

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

WARNING

Riding with the seatback reclined increases the likelihood of serious or fatal injury in a collision or sudden stop. The protection provided by the restraint system (seat belts and airbags) is significantly reduced when the seatback is reclined. Seat belts must fit snugly against the hips and chest to work properly. The more the seatback is reclined, the greater the chance that the occupant's hips will slide under the lap belt, which may cause serious internal injuries, or that the occupant's neck may strike the shoulder belt. Drivers and passengers should always sit in their seats, wear seat belts properly, and keep seatbacks in the upright position.