Page 15 of 322

You
r Vehicle' s Safet y Feature s
Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklis t
T o mak e sur e yo u an d you r
passenger s ge t th e maximu m
protectio n fro m you r vehicle' s safet y
features , chec k th e followin g eac h
tim e befor e yo u driv e away : Al
l adults , an d childre n wh o hav e
outgrow n chil d safet y seats , ar e
wearin g thei r sea t belt s an d
wearin g the m properl y (se e pag e
15 ).
An
y infan t o r smal l chil d is
properl y restraine d in a chil d sea t
i n th e bac k sea t (se e pag e 21 ). Fron
t sea t occupant s ar e sittin g
uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l an d
dashboar d (se e pag e 12 ).
Seat-back s ar e uprigh t (se e pag e
13 ). Hea
d restraint s ar e properl y adjuste
d (se e pag e 1 4 ) . Al
l door s an d th e tailgat e ar e
close d an d locke d (se e pag e 1 2 ) . Al
l carg o is properl y store d o r
secure d (se e pag e 14 8 ) .
Th e res t o f thi s sectio n give s mor e
detaile d informatio n abou t ho w yo u
ca n maximiz e you r safety .
Remember , however , tha t n o safet y
syste m ca n preven t al l injurie s o r
death s tha t ca n occu r i n sever e
crashes , eve n whe n sea t belt s ar e
properl y wor n an d th e airbag s deploy .
Driver an d Passenge r Safet y
Page 16 of 322

Protectin
g Adult s
Introductio n
Th e followin g page s provid e
instruction s o n ho w to properl y
protec t the drive r an d othe r adul t
occupants .
Thes e instruction s als o appl y t o
childre n wh o hav e outgrow n chil d
seat s an d ar e larg e enoug h t o wea r
lap/shoulde r belts . (Se e pag e 3 7 fo r
importan t additiona l guideline s o n
ho w to properl y protec t large r
children. )
1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Door s
Afte r everyone has entere d th e
vehicle , b e sur e th e door s an d
tailgat e ar e close d an d locked .
You r vehicl e ha s a tailgat e
ope n indicato r ligh t o n th e
instrumen t pane l t o indicat e whe n
th e tailgat e is no t tightl y closed . Fo
r safety , lockin g th e door s reduce s
th e chanc e tha t a passenger ,
especiall y a child , wil l ope n a doo r
whil e th e vehicl e is movin g an d
accidentall y fal l out . I t als o reduce s
th e chanc e o f someon e bein g throw n
ou t o f th e vehicl e durin g a crash .
Fo r security , locke d door s ca n
preven t a n outside r fro m
unexpectedl y openin g a doo r whe n
yo u com e to a stop .
Se e pag e 7 0 fo r ho w to loc k th e
doors .
2.Adjus
t th e Fron t Seat s
An y drive r wh o sit s to o clos e t o th e
steerin g whee l i s a t ris k o f bein g
seriousl y injure d o r kille d b y strikin g
th e steerin g wheel , o r fro m bein g
struc k b y a n inflatin g airba g durin g a
crash .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Page 18 of 322

Protectin
g Adult s
Reclinin g a seat-bac k s o tha t th e
shoulde r par t o f th e bel t n o longe r
rest s agains t the occupant' s ches t
reduce s the protectiv e capabilit y o f
th e belt . I t als o increase s th e chanc e
o f slidin g unde r th e bel t i n a cras h
an d bein g seriousl y injured . Th e
farthe r a seat-bac k i s reclined , the
greate r th e ris k o f injury .
Se e pag e 7 8 fo r ho w to adjus t seat -
backs .
4.Adjus
t th e Hea d Restraint s
Befor e driving , mak e sur e everyon e
wit h a n adjustabl e hea d restrain t ha s
properl y positione d th e hea d
restraint . Th e restrain t shoul d b e
positione d s o th e bac k o f th e
occupant' s hea d rest s agains t th e
cente r o f th e restraint . A talle r
perso n shoul d adjus t th e restrain t a s
hig h a s possible . Properl
y adjuste d hea d restraint s
wil l hel p protec t occupant s fro m
whiplas h an d othe r cras h injuries .
Se e pag e 7 9 fo r ho w to adjus t th e
hea d restraints .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y Improperl
y positionin g hea d
restraint s reduce s thei r
effectivenes s an d yo u ca n b e
seriousl y injure d in a crash .
Mak e sur e hea d restraint s ar e
i n plac e an d positione d properl y
befor e driving .
Reclinin g th e seat-bac k to o fa r
ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r
deat h in a crash .
Adjus t th e seat-bac k t o a n
uprigh t positio n an d si t wel l
bac k i n th e seat .
Page 19 of 322

Protectin
g Adult s
5.Faste n an d Positio n th e Sea t
Belt s
Using a Lap/Shoulder Belt
Inser t th e latc h plat e int o th e buckle .
the n tu g o n th e bel t t o mak e sur e th e
bel t i s securel y latched . Als o chec k
tha t th e bel t i s no t twisted , becaus e a
twiste d bel t ca n caus e seriou s
injurie s i n a crash .
Position th e la p par t o f th e bel t a s
lo w a s possibl e acros s you r hips ,
the n pul l u p o n th e shoulde r par t o f
th e bel t s o th e la p par t fit s snugly .
Thi s let s you r stron g pelvi c bone s
tak e th e forc e o f a cras h an d reduce s
th e chance of interna l injuries . I
f necessary , pul l u p o n th e bel t agai n
t o remov e an y slac k fro m th e
shoulde r part , the n chec k tha t th e
bel t rest s acros s th e cente r o f you r
ches t an d ove r you r shoulder . Thi s
spread s th e force s o f a cras h ove r
th e stronges t bone s i n you r uppe r
body .
CONTINUED
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Improperl
y positionin g th e sea t
belt s ca n caus e seriou s injur y
o r deat h i n a crash .
Mak e sur e al l sea t belt s ar e
properl y positione d befor e
driving .
Page 20 of 322
Protectin
g Adult s
I f th e sea t bel t touche s o r crosse s
you r neck , o r i f i t crosse s you r ar m
instea d o f you r shoulder , yo u nee d t o
adjus t th e sea t bel t ancho r height . T
o adjus t th e heigh t o f a fron t sea t
bel t anchor , pres s th e releas e butto n
an d slid e th e ancho r u p o r dow n a s
neede d (i t ha s fou r positions) .
Never place the shoulder portion of a
lap/shoulder belt under your arm or
behind your back. Thi s coul d caus e
ver y seriou s injurie s i n a crash .
Using the Lap Belt
Inser t th e latc h plat e int o th e buckl e
marke d CENTER .
I f th e bel t i s to o short , hol d th e latc h
plat e a t a righ t angl e an d pul l o n th e
plat e t o exten d th e belt . The n inser t
th e latc h plat e int o th e buckle , an d
tu g o n th e bel t t o mak e sur e th e bel t
i s securel y latched .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Page 21 of 322
Protectin
g Adult s
Positio n th e bel t a s lo w a s possibl e
acros s you r hips . Thi s let s you r
stron g pelvi c bone s tak e th e forc e o f
a cras h an d reduce s th e chanc e o f
interna l injuries .
Pul l o n th e loos e en d o f th e bel t fo r a
snu g bu t comfortabl e fit .
If a Seat Belt Doesn't Work Properly
I f a sea t bel t doe s no t see m to wor k
a s it should , i t ma y no t protec t th e
occupan t i n a crash . No one should
sit in a seat with an inoperative seat
belt. Anyon e usin g a sea t bel t tha t i s
no t workin g properl y ca n b e
seriousl y injure d o r killed . Hav e you r
Hond a deale r chec k th e bel t a s soo n
a s possible .
Se
e pag e 4 2 fo r additiona l
informatio n abou t you r sea t bel t
syste m an d ho w to tak e car e o f you r
belts .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Page 22 of 322

Protectin
g Adult s
6.Adjus t th e Steerin g Whee l
Adjus t th e steerin g wheel , i f needed ,
s o tha t th e whee l point s towar d you r
chest , no t towar d you r face .
Pointin g th e steerin g whee l towar d
you r ches t provide s optima l
protectio n fro m th e airbag .
Se e pag e 6 4 fo r ho w to adjus t th e
steerin g wheel . 7.Maintai
n a Prope r Sittin g
Positio n
Afte r al l occupant s hav e adjuste d
thei r seat s an d pu t o n sea t belts , i t i s
ver y importan t tha t the y continu e t o
si t upright , wel l bac k i n thei r seats ,
wit h thei r fee t o n th e floor , unti l th e
vehicl e is parke d an d th e engin e is
off .
Sittin g improperl y ca n increas e th e
chanc e o f injur y durin g a crash . Fo r
example , i f a n occupan t slouches ,
lie s down , turn s sideways , sit s
forward , lean s forwar d o r sideways ,
o r put s on e o r bot h fee t up , th e
chanc e o f injur y durin g a cras h is
greatl y increased .
I n addition , a n occupan t wh o is ou t o f
positio n in th e fron t sea t ca n b e
seriousl y o r fatall y injure d b y
strikin g interio r part s o f th e vehicle ,
o r b y bein g struc k b y a n inflatin g
airbag .
Remember
, t o ge t th e bes t
protectio n fro m you r vehicle' s
airbag s an d othe r safet y features ,
yo u mus t si t properl y an d wea r you r
sea t bel t properly .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Sittin
g improperl y o r ou t o f
positio n ca n resul t i n seriou s
injur y o r deat h i n a crash .
Alway s si t upright , wel l bac k i n
th e seat , wit h you r fee t o n th e
floor .
Page 23 of 322

Protectin
g Adult s
Advic e fo r Pregnan t Wome n
Becaus e protectin g th e mothe r i s th e
bes t wa y t o protec t he r unbor n child ,
a pregnan t woma n shoul d alway s
wea r a sea t bel t wheneve r sh e drive s
o r ride s i n a vehicle .
W e recommen d tha t pregnan t
wome n us e a lap/shoulde r bel t
wheneve r possible . Remembe r t o
kee p th e la p portio n o f th e bel t a s
lo w a s possibl e acros s you r hips . Pregnan
t wome n shoul d als o si t
uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l o r
dashboard . Thi s wil l reduc e th e ris k
o f injurie s t o bot h th e mothe r an d
he r unbor n chil d tha t ca n b e cause d
b y a cras h o r a n inflatin g airbag .
Eac h tim e yo u hav e a check-up , as k
you r docto r i f it' s oka y fo r yo u t o
drive .
Additiona l Safet y Precaution s
Never let passengers ride in the
cargo area or on top of a folded-
down back seat. Al l passenger s
mus t si t i n locked , uprigh t seat s
an d b e properl y restraine d b y sea t
belts .
Passengers should not stand up or
change seats while the vehicle is
moving. A passenger wh o is no t
wearin g a sea t bel t durin g a cras h
o r emergenc y sto p ca n b e throw n
agains t th e insid e o f th e vehicle , agains
t othe r occupants , o r ou t o f
th e vehicle .
Two people should never use the
same seat belt. I f the y do , the y
coul d b e ver y seriousl y injure d i n a
crash .
Do not put any accessories on seat
belts. Device s intende d to improv e
occupan t comfor t o r repositio n th e
shoulde r par t o f a sea t bel t ca n
severel y compromis e th e
protectiv e capabilit y o f th e sea t
bel t an d increas e th e chanc e o f
seriou s injur y in a crash .
CONTINUE D
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y