2012 HONDA CR-Z Owners Manual

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Safe Driving
Child Safety
Protecting Child Passengers
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are
either unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle accidents are the
number one cause of death of children age 12 and under.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province
and territory requires that children be properly restrained when they ride in a vehicle.
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, Honda recommends that you do
not carry a child, age 12 or under, as a passenger. This is because:
• An inflating front or side airbag can injure or kill a child sitting in the passenger’s
seat.
• A child in the passenger’s seat is more likely to interfere with the driver’s ability to
safely control the vehicle.
• Statistics show that ch ildren of all sizes and ages are safer when they are properly
restrained in a rear seat. Because this vehicle does not have a rear seat, we
recommend that you do not carry a ch ild aged 12 or under in this vehicle.
1Protecting Child Passengers
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport Canada recommend
that all children age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a rear seat. Some states or provinces/
territories have laws restricting where children may
ride.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in this vehicle.
3WARNING
Children who are unrestrained or
improperly restrained can be seriously
injured or killed in a crash.
Any child too small for a seat belt should be
properly restrained in a child seat. A larger
child should be properly restrained with a
seat belt, using a booster seat if necessary.

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uuChild SafetyuProtecting Child Passengers
Safe Driving
•Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an
approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using the lap belt
portion of the lap/shoulder belt.
• Never hold a child on your lap because it is impossible to protect them in the
event of a collision.
• Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would
likely press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.
• Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows or seat adjustments.
• Do not leave children in the vehic le unattended, especially in hot weather when
the inside of the vehicle can get hot enou gh to kill them. They could also activate
vehicle controls causing it to move unexpectedly.1Protecting Child Passengers
To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
To remind you of the passenger's front airbag
hazards and child safety, your vehicle has warning
labels on the dashboard (U.S. models) and on the
front visors. Please read and follow the instructions
on these labels. 2 Safety Labels P. 65
3WARNING
Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or
wrap one around their neck can result in
serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat
belt and make sure any unused seat belt a
child can reach is bu ckled, fully retracted,
and locked.

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uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Infants and Small Children
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the
infant reaches the seat maker's weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant is
at least one year old. Because rear-facing child seats should not be used in this
vehicle, you should never carry an infant in this vehicle.
■Protecting Infants1Protecting Infants
Rear-facing child seats should never be installed in a
forward facing position.
3WARNING
Placing a rear-facing child seat in the
passenger’s seat can result in serious injury
or death during a crash.
Never install a rear-facing child seat in this vehicle.

Continued59
uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe Driving
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, Honda recommends that you do not
carry a child, age 12 or under, as a passenger.
This is because placing a forward-facing child seat in the passenger’s seat can be
hazardous, even with advanced front airbags that automatically turn the
passenger’s front airbag off.
If you choose to ignore our warnings and transport a small child in this vehicle, be
sure to move the passenger seat as far to the rear as possible, and follow the
instructions and guidelines in the following pages.
■ Important consideration when selecting a child seat
Make sure the child seat meets the following three requirements:• The child seat is the correct type and size for the child.
• The child seat is the correct type for the seating position.
• The child seat is compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
■Protecting Smaller Children
■Selecting a Forward-facing Child Seat
1Protecting Smaller Children
Educate yourself about the laws and regulations
regarding child seat use where you are driving, and
follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions.
All child seats must be secured to the vehicle with the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt. A child whose seat is
not properly secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
3WARNING
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the
passenger’s seat can result in serious injury
or death if the front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-facing child
seat in the passenger’s seat, move the
vehicle seat as far back as possible, and
properly restrain the child.

uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
60
Safe Driving
1. Move the passenger seat to the rearmost position.
2. Place the child seat on the passenger seat.
3. Route the seat belt through the child seat according to the seat maker's instructions,
and insert the latch plate into the buckle.
uInsert the latch plate fully until it clicks.
4. Slowly pull the shoulder part of the belt all
the way out until it stops. This activates the lockable retractor.
5. Let the seat belt completely wind up into
the retractor, then try to pull it out to make
sure the retractor is locked.
uIf you are able to pull the shoulder belt
out, the lockable retractor is not
activated. Pull the seat belt all the way
out, and repeat steps 3 – 5.
6. Grab the shoulder part of the seat belt near
the buckle, and pull up to remove any slack
from the lap part of the belt.
uWhen doing this, place your weight on
the child seat and push it into the vehicle seat.
■Installing a Child Seat1Installing a Child Seat
All child seats must be secured to the vehicle with the
lap part of a lap/shoulder belt.
For your child's safety, when using a child seat
installed using the vehicle's seat belt system, check
that the seat is properly secured to the vehicle.

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uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe Driving
7.Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by
rocking it forward and back and side to
side; little movement should be felt.
A tether anchorage point is provided behind
the passenger seat. A child seat with a tether
can be installed, so long as the base of the
child seat is secured using a seat belt. 1. Route the tether strap through the head
restraint legs. Make sure the strap is not twisted.
2. Secure the tether strap hook onto the anchor.
3. Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the
child seat manufacturer.1Installing a Child Seat
A child seat that is not properly secured will not
adequately protect a child in a crash and may cause
injury to the child or another vehicle occupant.
To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
■Adding Security with a Tether1Adding Security with a Tether
Since a tether can provide additional security to the
lap/shoulder seat belt installation, we recommend
using a tether wheneve r one is available.
Tether
Anchorage
Point
Tether Strap Hook
Anchor

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uuChild SafetyuSafety of Larger Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Larger Children
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, Honda recommends that you do
not carry a child age 12 or under as a passenger. This is because children
who have outgrown child seats are also at risk of being injured or killed by
an inflating passen ger’s front airbag. If a larger child must ride in this vehicle,
the information in the following pages provides guidelines to help you decide when
a given child may ride in this vehicle, and how to properly protect the child.
When a child is too big for a child seat, secure the child in the passenger’s seat using
the lap/shoulder seat belt. Have the child sit upright and all the way back, then
answer the following questions.
■Checklist
• Do the child's knees bend comfortably over
the edge of the seat?
• Does the shoulder belt cross between the
child's neck and arm?
• Is the lap part of the seat belt as low as
possible, touching the child's thighs?
• Will the child be able to stay seated like this
for the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these questions, the child is ready to wear the lap/shoulder
seat belt correctly. If you answer no to any question, the child needs to ride on a
booster seat until the seat belt fits properly without a booster seat.
■Protecting Larger Children
■Checking Seat Belt Fit
1Safety of Larger Children
3WARNING
Allowing a child age 12 or under to sit in
the vehicle can result in injury or death if
the passenger's front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ride in the vehicle,
move the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, have the child sit up properly and
wear the seat belt properly, using a booster seat if needed.

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uuChild SafetyuSafety of Larger Children
Safe Driving
If a lap/shoulder seat belt cannot be used
properly, position the child in a booster seat in
the passenger’s seating position. For the
child's safety, check that the child meets the
booster seat manufacturer's
recommendations.
If you decide that a child can safely ride in this vehicle, be sure that:
• Make sure you read and fully understand the instructions and safety information
in this manual.
• Move the passenger seat as far back as possible.
• Have the child sit upright and well back in the seat.
• Check that the seat belt is properly positioned so that the child is secure in the seat.
■ Monitoring a child passenger
We strongly recommend that you keep an eye on a child passenger. Even older,
more mature children sometimes need to be reminded to fasten their seat belts and
sit up properly.
■Booster Seats1Booster Seats
When installing a booster seat, make sure to read the
instructions that came with it, and install the seat
accordingly.
There are high- and low-type booster seats. Choose a booster seat that allows the child to wear the seat
belt correctly.
Some U.S. states and Canadian provinces and
territories require children to use a booster seat until
they reach a given age or weight (e.g. 6 years or 60
lbs). Be sure to check current laws in the state or
province, or territory where you intend to drive.
■Protecting Larger Children-Final Checks