Important Safety Precautions

This section provides many safety precautions and recommendations, and throughout this manual. The precautions in this section are the most important.

Always Wear Your Seat Belt

The seat belt is your best protection in any accident. Airbags are designed to supplement seat belts, not replace them. Therefore, even though your vehicle is equipped with airbags, ALWAYS make sure that you and your passengers wear seat belts and wear them properly.

Restrain All Children

All children under 13 years of age should always ride properly restrained in the rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and small children must be secured in an appropriate child restraint. 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 are not properly restrained. Infants, small children and short adults are at the greatest risk of injury from an inflating airbag. Observe all instructions and warnings contained in this manual.

Driver Distraction

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

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

• ALWAYS set up your mobile devices (such as MP3 players, phones, units, etc.) when the vehicle is parked or safely stopped.
• Use your mobile device ONLY where permitted by law and when conditions allow safe use. NEVER send text messages or emails while driving. Most states have laws prohibiting drivers from texting. Some states and cities also prohibit drivers from using handheld phones.
• NEVER allow the use of a mobile device to distract you from driving. You are responsible to your passengers and other road users for safe driving, with your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes and attention on the road.

Control Your Speed

Speeding is a major factor in accident injuries and deaths. In general, the higher the speed, the greater the risk, but serious injuries can occur at lower speeds as well. Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the stated maximum speed.

Keep Your Vehicle in Safe Condition

A tire blowout or mechanical failure can be extremely dangerous. To reduce the possibility of such problems, check tire pressure and condition frequently and perform all scheduled preventive maintenance.