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Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.If the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children).
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat.
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
aged 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Some
states have laws restricting where
children may ride.
Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
f ront airbag of f under certain
circumstances (see page ), please
f ollow these guidelines:
If
the airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant. 47
30
Small Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equipped
wit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Larger ChildrenChildren who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’s
front airbag.
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in t he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag.
Inf ant sAll Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
Protecting Children General Guidelines
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To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.U.S. ModelsCanadian Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
35
DASHBOARD
SUN VISORS
SUN VISORS
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Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or a small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Placing a child in the f ront seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
f rontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.
Your vehicle has a back seat where
children can be properly restrained.
If you ever have to carry a group of
children, and a child must ride in
front:
Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).
If a child requires close physical
attention or f requent visual
contact, we strongly recommend
that another adult ride with the
child in a back seat. The back seat
is f ar saf er f or a child than the
front. If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown f orward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see pages
and ).
Have the child sit upright and well
backintheseat(seepage ).
Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page ). 47
92 93 15
14 If a Child Requires Close
Attention
If You Must Drive with Several
Children Additional Saf ety Precautions
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfand a child.
Never let two children use thesame seat belt .
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If a child wraps a loose
seat belt around their neck, they
can be seriously or f atally injured.
(See pages and f or how to
activate and deactivate the
lockable retractor.)
This can prevent
children f rom accidentally f alling
out (see page ). Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition
switch, and open the trunk, which
can lead to accidental injury or
death.
Children
who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles. Know how to
operate the emergency trunk
opener and decide if your children
should be shown how to use this
feature(seepage ).
For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition switch can accidentally set
the vehicle in motion, possibly
injuring themselves or others.
Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states, Canadian provinces and
territories, and can be very
hazardous.
45
44
86
91
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Make sure any unused seat beltt hat a child can reach is buckled,the lockable retractor is activated,
and the belt is f ully retracted andlocked.
Use t he childproof door locks t oprevent children f rom opening t herear doors. K eep vehicle keys/remot e
transmitters out of the reach ofchildren.
L ock all doors and t he t runk when your vehicle is not in use.
Do not leave children alone in a
vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode.If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision.
Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back.
An inf ant must be properly
restrained in a rear-f acing, reclining
child seat until the child reaches the
seat maker’s weight or height limit
f or the seat, and the child is at least
one year old.
A rear-f acing child seat can be placed
in any seating position in the back
seat, but not in the f ront.
If the passenger’s f ront airbag
inflates, it can hit the back of the
child seat with enough f orce to kill or
seriously injure an inf ant.
When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger f rommoving their seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking their
seat-back in the desired position.
It could also interf ere with proper
operation of the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system.
In any of these situations, we
strongly recommend that you install
the child seat directly behind the
f ront passenger’s seat, move the seat
as far forward as needed, and leave it
unoccupied. Or, you may wish to get
a smaller rear-f acing child seat.
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in
a f orward-f acing position.
Child Seat T ype Rear-f acing Child Seat Placement
Never put a
rear-f acing child seat in t he f ront
seat .
Protecting Inf ants
38
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death during acollision.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not thefront.
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CONT INUED
Many states, Canadian provinces and
territories allow a child one year of
age or older who also meets the
minimum size and weight
requirements to transition f rom a
rear-facing child seat to a forward
f acing seat. Know the requirements
where you are driving and follow the
child seat instructions. Many experts
recommend use of a rear-f acing seat
up to age two, if the child’s heightand weight are appropriate f or a
rear-f acing seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.
We also recommend that a small
child use the child seat until the child
reaches the weight or height limit
for the seat.
We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the f ront.
If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to cause very
serious or f atal injuries.
Even with advanced front airbags
that automatically turn the
passenger’s f ront airbag of f (see
page ), a back seat is the saf est
place f or a small child. 30
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype Child Seat Placement
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
Look f or FMVSS 213 or CMVSS
213 on the box.
When buying a child seat, you need
to choose either a conventional child
seat, or one designed f or use with
the Lower Anchors and Tethers f or
CHildren (LATCH) system.
Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the two outer
seating positions in the back seat.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children.
If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, and be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
Selecting a Child Seat
T he child seat should meet
Federal Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213 or Canadian Mot or
Vehicle Saf et y St andard 213.
T he child seat should be of theproper t ype and size t o f it t he child.
1.
2.
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children, Selecting a Child Seat
40
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.
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Af ter selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers f or CHildren) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verif y that it is secure.
A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as f irmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid.’’ Some side-to-side movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat’s
ef f ectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured.
Bef ore purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend that
you test the seat in the specif ic
vehicle seating position or positions
where the seat will be used.
Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash.
The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A f orward-f acing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same f or rear-
f acing child seats.
Installing a Child Seat
Properly secure t he child seat t o
the vehicle.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmlysecured.
T he child seat should f it the
vehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
Secure the child in the child seat.
3.
1.
2. 3.
Selecting a Child Seat, Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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