Page 76 of 616
There is one guide, if equipped, for each outsidepassenger position in the second row seat and the thirdrow, if the vehicle has one. Here is how to install acomfort guide to the safety belt:
Second Row
1. For the second row, remove the guide from itsstorage clip on the interior body.
Third Row
If your vehicle has a third row, remove the guidefrom its storage pocket on the side of the seat.
2-44
Page 77 of 616
2. Place the guide over the belt, and insert thetwo edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat.The elastic cord must be under the belt and theguide on top.
2-45
Page 78 of 616
{WARNING:
A safety belt that is not properly worn may not
provide the protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and
across the chest. These parts of the body are best
able to take belt restraining forces.
4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt asdescribed previously in this section. Make sure thatthe shoulder belt crosses the shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze thebelt edges together so that the safety belt can beremoved from the guide. Slide the guide into its storageclip on the interior body or storage pocket on the side ofthe seat.
2-46
Page 79 of 616
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnantwomen. Like all occupants, they are more likely to beseriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, andthe lap portion should be worn as low as possible,below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect themother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is morelikely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. Forpregnant women, as for anyone, the key to makingsafety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Lap Belt
This part is only for the lap belt. To learn how to wear alap-shoulder belt, seeLap-Shoulder Belt on page 2!39.
The vehicle may have a center seating position. Whenyou sit in the center front seating position, you have alap safety belt, which has no retractor.
To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull italong the belt.
Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lappart of a lap-shoulder belt.
2-47
Page 80 of 616
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown untilthe belt is snug.
If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt Extenderon page 2!48.
Make sure the release button on the buckle ispositioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safetybelt quickly if necessary.
If you find that the latch plate will not go fully into thebuckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be surethat the latch plate clicks when inserted into the buckle.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fasten around you, youshould use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When you go in toorder it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so theextender will be long enough for you. To help avoidpersonal injury, do not let someone else use it, and useit only for the seat it is made to fit. The extender hasbeen designed for adults. Never use it for securing childseats. To wear it, attach it to the regular safety belt. Formore information, see the instruction sheet that comeswith the extender.
2-48
Page 81 of 616
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats shouldwear the vehicle's safety belts.
The manufacturer's instructions that come with thebooster seat, state the weight and height limitations forthat booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder beltuntil the child passes the below fit test:
.Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the kneesbend at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no,return to the booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulderbelt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, tryusing the rear safety belt comfort guide. See“RearSafety Belt Comfort Guides”underLap-ShoulderBelton page 2!39for more information. If theshoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder,then return to the booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and snug on the hips,touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, returnto the booster seat.
.Can proper safety belt fit be maintained for lengthof trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to thebooster seat.
If you have the choice, a child should sit in a positionwith a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restrainta shoulder belt can provide.
2-49
Page 82 of 616
Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A:An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt andget the additional restraint a shoulder belt canprovide. The shoulder belt should not cross the faceor neck. The lap belt should fit snugly below thehips, just touching the top of the thighs. This appliesbelt force to the child's pelvic bones in a crash.It should never be worn over the abdomen, whichcould cause severe or even fatal internal injuries ina crash.
Also see“Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides”underLap-Shoulder Belt on page 2!39.
According to accident statistics, children and infants aresafer when properly restrained in the rear seatingpositions than in the front seating positions.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strikeother people who are buckled up, or can be thrown outof the vehicle. Older children need to use safety beltsproperly.
{WARNING:
Never do this.
Never allow two children to wear the same safety
belt. The safety belt can not properly spread the
impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A safety
belt must be used by only one person at a time.
2-50
Page 83 of 616
{WARNING:
Never do this.
Never allow a child to wear the safety belt with the
shoulder belt behind their back. A child can be
seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder
belt properly. In a crash, the child would not be
restrained by the shoulder belt. The child could
move too far forward increasing the chance of
head and neck injury. The child might also slide
under the lap belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should
go over the shoulder and across the chest.
2-51
