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1-4. Adjustable components (s
eats, mirrors, steering wheel)
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
■Using a seat belt extender
● Do not wear the seat belt extender, if you can fasten the seat belt without
the extender.
● Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a child restraint system,
because the belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, increas-
ing the risk of death or serious injury in the event of a sudden stop, sudden
swerve or an accident.
● The personalized extender may not be safe on another vehicle, when
used by another person, or at a different seating position other than the
one originally intended.
■ Precaution for pre-collision seat belts (if equipped)
Do not rely on the pre-collision system to avoid accidents. Always pay atten-
tion to the surrounding conditions, and drive safely and responsibly.
NOTICE
■When using a seat belt extender
When releasing the seat belt, press on the buckle release button on the
extender, not on the seat belt.
This helps prevent damage to the vehicle interior and the extender itself.
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1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
1-8. Safety information
Correct driving posture
Drive with a good posture as follows:
Sit upright and well back in
the seat.
Adjust the position of the
seat forward or backward to
ensure the pedals can be
reached and easily
depressed to the extent
required. (P. 78)
Adjust the seatback so that
the controls are easily oper-
able.
Adjust the tilt and telescopic
positions of the steering
wheel downward so the air-
bag is facing your chest.
( P. 92)
Lock the head restraint in
place with the center of the
head restraint closest to the
top of your ears. ( P. 82)
Wear the seat belt correctly.
( P. 85)
Page 112 of 616

112 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
■While driving
● Do not adjust the position of the driver’s seat.
Doing so could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
● Do not place a cushion between the driver or passenger and the seatback.
A cushion may prevent correct posture from being achieved, and reduce
the effectiveness of the seat belt and head restraint, increasing the risk of
death or serious injury to the driver or passenger.
● Do not place anything under the front seats.
Objects placed under the front seats may become jammed in the seat
tracks and stop the seat from locking in place. This may lead to an acci-
dent. The adjustment mechanism may also be damaged.
■ Adjusting the seat position
● Do not recline the seat more than necessary when the vehicle is in motion,
to reduce the risk of sliding under the lap belt.
If the seat is too reclined during an accident, the lap belt may slide part the
hips and apply restraint forces directly to the abdomen or your neck may
contact the shoulder belt, increasing the risk of death or serious injury.
● Take care when adjusting the seat position to ensure that other passen-
gers are not injured by the moving seat.
● Do not put your hands under the seat or near the moving parts to avoid
injury.
Fingers or hands may become jammed in the seat mechanism.
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1
1-8. Safety information
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
SRS airbags
The SRS airbags inflate when the vehicle is subjected to certain
types of severe impacts that may cause significant injury to the
occupants. They work together with the seat belts to help reduce the
risk of death or serious injury.
Front airbags
Driver airbag/front passenger airbag
Can help protect the head and ches t of the driver and front pas-
senger from impact with interior components.
Knee airbag
Can help provide driver protection.
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1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
Airbag system components
Front passenger airbag
“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG
OFF” indicator lights
Side airbag
Curtain shield airbag
Occupant detection sensor
Curtain shield airbag sensor
SRS warning light
Driver airbag Side and curtain shield airbag
sensor
Driver’s seat belt buckle
switch
Driver’s seat position sensor
Knee airbag
Front passenger’s seat belt
buckle switch
Front airbag sensor
Airbag sensor assembly
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1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
■
SRS airbag deployment conditions (front airbags)
● The SRS front airbag will deploy in the event of an impact that exceeds
the set threshold level (the level of force corresponding to a 12 - 18 \
mph
[20 - 30 km/h] frontal collision with a fixed wall that does not move or
deform).
However, this threshold velocity will be considerably higher if the vehicle
strikes an object, such as a parked vehicle or sign pole, which can move or
deform on impact, or if the vehicle is involved in an underride collision (e.g.
a collision in which the front of the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under, the
bed of a truck, etc.).
● It is possible that in some collisions where the forward deceleration of the
vehicle is very close to the designed threshold level, the SRS front air-
bags and the seat belt pretensioners may not activate together.
● The SRS front passenger airbags will not activate, if there is no passen-
ger sitting in the front passenger seat. However, the front passenger air-
bag may deploy if luggage is put in the seat, or the seat belt is fastened,
even if the seat is unoccupied. ( P. 126)
■ SRS airbag deployment conditions (side and curtain shield airbags)
The SRS side and curtain shield airbags will deploy in the event of an impact
that exceeds the set threshold level (the level of force corresponding to the
impact force produced by a 3300 lb. [1500 kg] vehicle colliding with the vehi-
cle cabin from a direction perpendicular to the vehicle orientation at a speed
of 12 - 18 mph [20 - 30 km/h]).
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1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
■
SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the airbags.
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
● The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts
properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the seat belts.
● The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause
death or serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) advises:
Since the risk zone for driver airbag is the first 2 - 3 in. (50 - 75 mm) of
inflation, placing yourself 10 in. (250 mm) from your driver airbag provides
you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the cen-
ter of the steering wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 10 in. (250
mm) away now, you can change your driving position in several ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat.
Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 10 in.
(250 mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, sim-
ply by reclining the back of the seat somewhat. If reclining the back of
your seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a firm,
non-slippery cushion, or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature\
.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the air- bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while still
maintaining control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the
instrument panel controls.
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122 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
● The SRS front passenger airbag also deploys with considerable force, and
can cause death or serious injury especially if the front passenger is very
close to the airbag. The front passenger seat should be as far from the air-
bag as possible with the seatback adjusted, so the front passenger sits
upright.
● A deploying airbag can cause death or serious injuries to improperly
seated and/or restrained infants and children. An infant or child who is too
small to use a seat belt should be properly secured using a child restraint
system. Toyota strongly recommends that all infants and children be
placed in the rear seats of the vehicle and properly restrained. The rear
seats are the safest for infants and children. ( P. 132)
●If the seat belt extender has been con-
nected to the driver’s seat belt buckle
but the seat belt extender has not also
been fastened to the latch plate of the
driver’s seat belt, the SRS driver’s air-
bag system will judge that the driver is
wearing the seat belt even though the
seat belt has not been connected. In
this case, the driver’s airbag may not
activate correctly in a collision, resulting
in death or serious injury in the event of
collision. Be sure to wear the seat belt
with the seat belt extender.