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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)
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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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136 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
■Child restraint precautions
● Do not allow the child to lean his/her head or any part of his/her body
against the door or the area of the seat, front, center and rear pillars or
roof side rail from which the side airbags or curtain shield airbags deploy
even if the child is seated in the child restraint system. It is dangerous if
the side airbags and curtain shield airbags inflate, and the impact could
cause death or serious injury to the child.
● Make sure you have complied with all installation instructions provided by
the child restraint manufacturer and that the system is properly secured. If
it is not secured properly, it may cause death or serious injury to the child
in the event of a sudden stop, sudden swerve or an accident.
■ Child restraint lock function belt precaution
Do not allow children to play with the child restraint lock function belt. If the
belt becomes twisted around a child’s neck, it will not be possible to pull the
belt out leading to choking or other serious injuries that could result in death.
If this occurs and the buckle cannot be unfastened, scissors should be used
to cut the belt.
■ When the child restrain t system is not in use
● Keep the child restraint system properly secured on the seat even if it is
not in use. Do not store the restraint unsecured in the passenger compart-
ment.
● If it is necessary to detach the child restraint system, remove it from the
vehicle or store it securely in the luggage compartment. This will prevent it
from injuring passengers in the event of a sudden stop, sudden swerve or
an accident.
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1
1-8. Safety information
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
Installing child restraints
Follow the child restraint system manufacturer’s instructions. Firmly
secure child restraints to the rear seats using the LATCH anchors or
a seat belt. Attach the top tether strap when installing a child
restraint.
The lap/shoulder belt can be used if your child restraint system is
not compatible with the LATCH (Low er Anchors and Tethers for Chil-
dren) system.
Child restraint LATCH anchors
LATCH anchors are provided
for the outboard rear seats.
(Buttons displaying the loca-
tion of the anchors are
attached to the seats.)
Seat belts equipped with a
child restraint locking mecha-
nism ( P. 87)
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140 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
Installing child restraints using a seat belt (child restraint lock
function belt)
■ Rear facing Infant seat/convertible seat
Place the child restraint system
on the rear seat facing the rear
of the vehicle.
Run the seat belt through the
child restraint system and insert
the plate into the buckle. Make
sure that the belt is not twisted.
Fully extend the shoulder belt
and then allow it to retract
slightly in order to activate the
ALR lock mode.
Lock mode allows the seat belt to
retract only.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
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142 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.Fully extend the shoulder strap
and then allow it to retract
slightly into the ALR lock mode.
Lock mode allows the seat belt to
retract only.
While pushing the child restraint
system into the rear seat, allow
the shoulder belt to retract until
the child restraint system is
securely in place.
After the shoulder belt has
retracted to a point where there is
no slack in the belt, pull the belt to
check that it cannot be extended.
If the child restraint has a top te
ther strap, the top tether strap
should be latched onto the top tether strap anchor. ( P. 144)
■ Booster seat
Place the child restraint system
on the seat facing the front of the
vehicle.
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
STEP1
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146 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
■Laws and regulations pertaining to anchors
The LATCH system conforms to FMVSS225 or CMVSS210.2.
Child restraint systems conforming to FMVSS213 or CMVSS213 specifica-
tions can be used.
This vehicle is designed to conform to the SAE J1819.
CAUTION
■ When installing a booster seat
Do not fully extend the shoulder belt to prevent the belt from going to ALR
lock mode: ( P. 87)
ALR mode causes the belt to tighten only which could cause injury or dis-
comfort to the child.
■ When installing a child restraint system
Follow the directions given in the child restraint system installation manual
and fix the child restraint system securely in place.
If the child restraint system is not correctly fixed in place, it may result in
death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the event of sud-
den braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
● If the driver’s seat interferes with the
child restraint system and prevents it
from being attached correctly, attach
the child restraint system to the right-
hand rear seat.
● Adjust the front passenger seat so that
it does not interfere with the child
restraint system.
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147
1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
■
When installing a child restraint system
● When a booster seat is installed, always ensure that the shoulder belt is
positioned across the center of the child’s shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from the child’s neck, but not so that it could fall off the child’s
shoulder. Failing to do so may result in death or serious injury in the event
of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
● Ensure that the belt and tab are securely locked and the seat belt is not
twisted.
● Push and pull the child restraint system from side to side and forward to be
sure it is secure.
● After securing a child restraint system, never adjust the seat.
● Follow all installation instructions provided by the child restraint system
manufacturer.
■ Do not use a seat belt extender
If a seat belt extender is used when installing a child restraint system, the
seat belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause
death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the event of sud-
den braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
■ To correctly attach a child r estraint system to the anchors
When using the LATCH anchors, be sure that there are no foreign objects
around the anchors and that the seat belt is not caught behind the child
restraint system. Make sure the child restraint system is securely attached,
or it may cause death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the
event of a sudden stop, sudden swerve or accident.
● Only put a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front seat when unavoid-
able. When installing a forward-facing
child restraint system on the front pas-
senger seat, move the seat as far back
as possible even if “AIR BAG OFF” indi-
cator light is illuminated. Failing to do
so may result in death or serious injury
if the airbags deploy (inflate).