2002 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

Whichever style you select, f ollow
the booster seat maker’s instructions.
However, if the belt touches or
crosses the child’s neck, the child
needs to use a booster seat.
This could result in
serious neck injuries during a crash.
If a child needs a booster seat, we
recommend choosing a style that
allows the child to use the lap/
shoulder belt directly, without a
shield, as shown.
This could cause
very serious injuries during a crash.
It also increases the chance that the
child will slide under the belt in a
crash and be injured. Devices intended to improve
occupant comf ort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt, severely
compromise the protective capability
of the seat belt and increase the
chance of serious injury in a crash.
If they do, they could
be very seriously injured in a crash.
Using a Boost er Seat
Do not let a child wear a seat belt across t he neck.
Do not let a child put the shoulderpart of a seat belt behind t he back orunder t he arm. Do not put any accessories on a seat
belt.
T wo children should never use t hesame seat belt .
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety30

A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of the ears are
even with the top of the seat-back. A
child of this height should be tall
enough to use the lap/shoulder belt
without a booster.Children vary widely. And while age
may be one indicator of when a child
can saf ely ride in this car, there are
other important f actors you should
consider.Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it over the hips, chest, and
shoulder (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
the child should use a booster seat.
To saf ely ride in this car, a child
must be able to follow the rules,
including sitting properly and
wearing the seat belt properly
throughout a ride.2915
CONT INUED
Physical Size
Maturity
When Can a L arger Child Ride in t his
Car
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety31

Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly positioned and secured. Caref ully read the owner’s manual
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride in this car, be sure to:
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor. Supervise the child. Even a mature
child sometimes needs to be
reminded to f asten the seat belt or
sit properly.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety32

Since a tether can provide additional
security, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchorage point as shown in
the illustration, then tighten the
strap according to the child seat
maker’s instructions. Make sure the
strap is not twisted.
Your car has a tether anchorage
point on the trunk lining f or securing
a tether-style child seat to the car.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Using Child Seats with T ethers
33

This seat belt has a single belt that
goes over your shoulder, across your
chest and across your hips.
Your seat belt system includes lap/
shoulder belts in both seating
positions.
The seat belts are also equipped with
automatic seat belt tensioners.
The system also includes a
light on the instrument
panel to remind you and your
passenger to f asten your belts. If the
driver’s seat belt is not f astened
before the ignition is turned ON (II),
the light will come on and a beeper
will also sound. The beeper will stop
af ter a f ew seconds, but the light will
stay on until the driver’s seat belt is
f astened. To fasten the belt, insert the latch
plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is
latched.The passenger’s seat belt has an
additional locking mechanism that
must be activated to secure a child
seat. (See page for instructions on
how to secure a f orward-f acing child
seat with this type of belt.) Both seat belts have an emergency
locking retractor. In normal driving,
the retractor lets you move f reely in
your seat while it keeps some
tensiononthebelt.
During a collision or sudden stop,
the retractor automatically locks the
belt to help restrain your body. To unlock the belt, push the red
PRESSbuttononthebuckle.Guide
the belt across your body to the door
pillar. After exiting the car, be sure
the belt is out of the way and will not
getclosedinthedoor.
27
Seat Belt System Components L ap/Shoulder Belt
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety34

For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out f ully and look f or
f rays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
that the lap/shoulder belts retract
easily. Any belt not in good condition
or not working properly will not
provide good protection and should
be replaced as soon as possible.If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
it must be replaced by the dealer. A
belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the
anchors f or damage and replace
them if needed.
Honda provides a lif etime warranty
on seat belts. Honda will repair or
replace any seat belt component that
f ails to f unction properly during
normal use. Please see your
booklet f or
details.
If the shoulder part of the belt is
pulled all the way out, the locking
mechanism will activate. The belt
will retract, but it will not allow the
passenger to move f reely.
See page f or instructions on how
to wear the lap/shoulder belt
properly. To deactivate the locking
mechanism, unlatch the buckle and
let the seat belt f ully retract. To
ref asten the belt, pull it out only as
f ar as needed.
For inf ormation on how to clean your
seat belts, see page .209
15
Honda
Warranty Inf ormation
Seat Belt Maintenance
U.S. Models
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety35
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.

Your Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) includes:Two f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG.’’
Automatic seat belt tensioners
that tighten the front seat belts
during a moderate to severe
f rontal collision. If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, the sensors
will detect rapid deceleration and
signal the control unit to instantly
inflate the airbags and activate the
automatic seat belt tensioners.
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal
collision.
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, and driver and
passenger seat belt use when the ignition is ON (II).
An indicator light on the
instrument panel that alerts you to
a possible problem with the
system (see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your car’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
38
SRS Components
How Your A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your SRS
Driver and Passenger Saf ety36

Af ter inf lating, the airbags
immediately def late, so they won’t
interf ere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and
def lation is approximately one-tenth
of a second, so f ast that most
occupants are not aware that the
airbags deployed until they see them
lying in their laps.After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder f rom the airbag’s surf ace.
Although the powder is not harmf ul,
people with respiratory problems
may experience some temporary
discomf ort. If this occurs, get out of
the car as soon as it is safe to do so.
For additional information on how
your airbags work, see the booklet
titled
that came with your
owner’s manual.
During a crash, your seat belt helps
restrain your lower body and torso,
while the tensioner tightens and
locks the seat belt to help keep you
in place. Your airbag provides a
cushion to help restrain and protect
your head and chest.
Since both airbags use the same
sensors, both airbags normally
inf late at the same time. However, it
is possible f or only one airbag to
inf late.
This can occur when the severity of
a collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
suf f icient protection, and the
supplemental protection of f ered by
the airbag would be minimal.
For additional information on how
your airbags work, ask your dealer
f or a copy of the booklet titled
SRS: What You Need to Know
About Airbags
SRS:
What You Need to Know About Airbags
.
U.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
Additional Inf ormation About Your SRS
Driver and Passenger Saf ety37