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Seats & Safety Belts
40
Larger Children (CONT.)
Children who aren’t buckled up can
strike other people who are.
I CAUTION
I A Never do this.
Here two children are
wearing the same belt. The belt
I properly spread the impact
,,,ces. In a crash, the
two children
can be crushed together and
seriously injured.
A belt must be
used by
-y one son at a time.
Q: What if a child is wearing a lap-
shoulder belt, but the child is
so
small that the shoulder belt is very
close to the child’s face
or neck?
A: Move the child toward the center of
the vehicle, but be sure that the
shoulder belt still is on the child’s
shoulder,
so that in a crash the
child’s upper body would have the
restraint that belts provide.
If the child is
so small that the
shoulder belt is still very close to the
child’s face or neck, you might want
to place the child in the center seat
position, the one that has only a lap
belt.
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CAUTION
A
Never do this.
Here a child is sitting in a
seat that has a lap-shoulder belt,
but the shoulder part is behind the
child. If the child wears the belt in
this way, in a crash the child might
slide under the belt. The belt’s force
would then be applied right on the
child’s abdomen. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. Wherever
the child sits, the lap portion
of the belt should be worn low and snug
on the hips, just touching the child’s
thighs. This applies belt force to the
child’s pelvic bones in a crash.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten
around you, you should use it. The
automatic lap-shoulder belt has plenty
of extra length built in, so it will fasten
around almost all people.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to
fasten, your dealer will order you an
extender. It’s free. When you go in to
order it, take the heaviest coat
you will
wear,
so the extender will be long
enough for you. The extender
will be
just for you, and just for the seat in your
vehicle that you choose. Don’t let
someone else use it, and use it only for
the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just
attach it to the regular safety belt.
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Page 44 of 340
Seats & Safety Belt,,
Checking Your Restra'int Systems
Now and then, make sure all your belts,
buckles, latch plates, retractors,
anchorages and reminder systems are
working properly.
Look for any lmoose
parts or damage. If you see anything
that might keep a restraint system from
Replacing Safety Belts After a
Crash
If you've had a crash, do you need new
belts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary. But
if the belts were
stretched, as they would be
if warn
during a more severe crash, then you
need new belts.
If you ever see a label on a right front
safety belt that says to replace the belt,
be sure to do
so. Then it will be there to
help protect you in an accident. You
would see
this label on the belt near the
If belts are cut or damaged, replace
them. Collision damage
also may mean
you
will have to have safety belt parts,
like the retractor, replaced or anchorage
locations repaired-even
if the belt
wasn't being used
at the time of the
collision.
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I
Q: What’s wrong with this?
A The belt is torn.
CAUTION
A
Torn or frayed belts may not
protect you in a crash. They
can rip apart under impact forces. If
a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new
one right away.
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'V
Leaving young children in 2
vehicle with the ignition key
is dangerous for many reasons. A
child or others could be badly
injured or even killed.
They could operate power windows
or other controls, or even make the
vehicle move. Don't leave the keys
in
a vehicle with young children.
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