94 Driving Safel y
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an im
portant part of your vehicle's occupant re
straint system and can help to reduce the risk of injuries in accident situations.
Fig. 92 Head restra int : viewed from t he fro nt
The head restraints must be correctly adjust
ed to achieve the best protection.
~ For adjustable head restraints: adjust the
head restraint so the upper edge is as even
as possible with the top of your head. If that is not possible, try to adjust the head re
straint so that it is as close to this position as possible
r:::> fig. 92 .
Adjusting head restraints r:::> page 57.
&_ WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with
head restraints that are not properly ad
justed increases the risk of serious or fatal
neck injuriy dramatically. To help reduce
the risk of injury:
- Always drive with the head restra ints in
place and properly adjusted.
- Every person in the vehicle must have a
properly adjusted head restraint.
- Always make sure each person in the ve
hicle properly adjusts their head re
straint. Each head restraint must be ad
justed according to occupants' size so
that the upper edge is as even w ith the
top of the person's head, but no lower
th an eye level and so it is as close to the
back of to the head as possible.
- Never attempt to adjust head restraint
wh ile driving. If you have driven
off and must adjust the driver headrest for any
reason, first stop the vehicle safely be
fore attempting to adjust the head re straint .
- Ch ildren must always be properly re
strained in a child restraint that is appro
priate for their age and size
c:> page 130.
· Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only re
duce the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are
properly seated .
Improper seating positions can cause serious
injury or death. Safety belts can only work
when they are properly positioned on the body . Improper seating positions reduce the
effectiveness of safety belts and will even in
crease the risk of injury and death by moving
the safety belt to critical areas of the body.
Improper seating posi tions also increase the
risk of serious injury and death when an air
bag deploys and strikes an occupant who is
not in the proper seating position . A dr iver is
responsible for the safety of all vehicle occu
pants and especially for children. Therefore :
~ Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seating position when the vehicle is being
used
c::> _& .
The following bullets list only some sample
positions that will increase the risk of serious
injury and death. Our hope is that these exam
ples will make you more aware of seating po
sitions that are dangerous.
Therefore , whenever the vehicle is
moving:
- never stand up in the vehicle
- never stand on the seats
- never kneel on the seats
- never ride with the seatback reclined
- never lie down on the rear seat
- never lean up against the instrument panel
- never s it on the edge of the seat
- never sit sideways
- never lean out the window
