WARNING!(Continued)
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchor-
ages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it
loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it
could strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause
serious personal injury.
Children Too Large for Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend
over the front of the seat when their back is against the
seatback, should use the seat belt in the seat. Use this
simple 5-step test to decide whether the child can use the
vehicle’s seat belt alone:
• Can the child sit all the way back against the back of
the vehicle seat? •
Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of
the vehicle seat – while they are still sitting all the way
back?
• Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder
between their neck and arm?
• Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching
the child’s thighs and not their stomach?
• Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” then the
child still needs to use a booster seat in this vehicle. If the
child is using the lap/shoulder belt, check belt fit peri-
odically. A child’s squirming or slouching can move the
belt out of position. If the shoulder belt contacts the face
or neck, move the child closer to the center of the vehicle.
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an arm
or behind their back.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
