2003 HONDA ACCORD COUPE Owners Manual

When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in the back seat on a
booster and wear a lap/shoulder belt.
We recommend that the child use a
booster seat until the child is tall
enough to use the seat belt without a
booster.
The f ollowing pages give
instructions on how to check proper
seat belt f it, what kind of booster
seat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions f or a child
who must sit in the f ront seat.To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly f its a child, have the child
sit in the rear seat, all the way back
against the seat, and put on the seat
belt. Follow the instructions on page
. Then check how the belt f its.
16
Checking Seat Belt Fit
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting L arger Children
38
Allowing a larger child to sit
improperly in the front seat can
result in injury or death if the
passenger’s front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must sit in front,
make sure the child moves the
seat as far back as possible,
uses a booster seat if needed,
and wears the seat belt properly.

CONT INUED
Whichever style you select, f ollow
the booster seat maker’s instructions.
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. If a child needs a booster seat, we
recommend choosing a high or low-
back style that allows the child to be
directly secured with the lap/
shoulder belt.
If the shoulder part of the belt rests
over the child’s collarbone and
against the center of the chest, and
the lap belt rests over the child’s
hipbones and touches the tops of the
thighs as shown, the child is
probably big enough to wear the seat
belt.
However, if the shoulder belt
touchesorcrossesthechild’sneck,
or if the lap belt crosses the child’s
stomach, the child needs to use a
booster seat.
This could result in serious neck and
internal injuries during a crash.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Using a Boost er Seat
Do not let a child put the shoulder
part of a seat belt behind t he back orunder t he arm.
Do not put any accessories on a seatbelt.
T wo children should never use t hesame seat belt .
Do not let a child wear a seat belt
across t he neck or over t he st omach.
39

The back seat is the saf est place f or
a child of any age or size.Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in the
f ront, there are other important
f actors you should consider.
In addition, the passenger’s f ront
airbag poses serious risks to children.
If the seat is too f ar f orward, or the
child’s head is thrown f orward
during a collision, or the child is
unrestrained or out of position, an
inf lating f ront airbag can kill or
seriously injure the child.
A child should continue using a
booster seat until the child exceeds
the booster seat manufacturer’s
requirements.
Even then, the child may still need to
use a booster seat. Note that some
states now require children to use
boosters until they reach a certain
ageand/orweight.Besuretocheck
current laws in the state or states
where you intend to drive.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
The side airbag also poses risks. If
any part of a larger child’s body is in
the path of a deploying airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front
40

Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly.
Caref ully read the owner’s manual
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly positioned and secured.
Remind the child not to lean
toward the door because of the
side airbag.
If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:
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 not sit in the f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride. 16 38
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Physical Size
Maturity
41

Your car has three tether anchorage
points under the rear window f or
securing a tether-style child seat to
the car.
Since a tether can provide additional
security, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available. (Tethers are required in
Canada.)The tether anchorage points are
located under plastic covers. Pivot
the cover backward to access the
anchorage point.
To use either outside anchorage
point, lif t the rear head restraint,
then route the tether strap over the
seat-back between the legs of the
head restraint.
Using Child Seats with T ethers
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety42
COVER
TETHER ANCHORAGE POINTS

Your car is equipped with LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tethers f or
Children) at the outer rear seats.
The lower anchors are located
between the seat-back and seat
bottom and are to be used only with
a child seat designed f or use with
LATCH.To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:
Make sure there are no f oreign
objects around the anchors.
Foreign objects could get in the
way of a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors.
The exact location of each lower
anchor is marked with a small button
above the lower anchor point.
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. Move the seat belt buckle or
center seat belt away from the
lower anchors.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
Using L A T CH
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety43
LOWER ANCHORS
TETHER STRAP HOOK
TETHER ANCHORAGE POINT

Follow the child seat maker’s
instructions f or any additional
advice on adjusting or tightening
the fit.
Put the child seat in the rear lef t
or right vehicle seat and attach the
child seat to the lower anchors
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. Lif t the rear head restraint, then
route the tether strap over the
seat-back between the legs of the
head restraint.
3.
4.5.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety44
Rigid type Flexible type

Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchorage point, and
tighten the strap according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Make sure the strap is not twisted.Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers.
This symbol on rear or f orward
f acing child seats or booster
cushions indicates the presence of
LATCH compatible hardware.
6. 7.
Canadian models only
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
L ower Universal A nchorage Syst em
Symbol
45