132 Driving Safel y
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Applies to vehicles: with a djustable head restra ints
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.
F ig . 14 0 Head restrain t: viewed from the front
The head restraints must be correctly adjust
ed to achieve the best protection.
• Adjust the head restrai nts so the uppe r edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possib le, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible
c:> fig. 140.
• If there is a passenger on the rear center
seat ing pos ition, slide the center head re
stra int upward at least to the next notch .
Ad justing head restraints
c:> page 61.
A WARNING
All seats are equipped with head re
straints. Dr iv ing without head restraints or
w ith head restra ints that are not properly
adjusted increases the risk of ser ious or fa
t al nec k injury dramat ica lly. To help reduce
t he risk of inju ry:
- Always drive with the head restra ints in
place and properly adjusted.
- Every pe rson in the veh icle must have a
properly adj usted head restra int.
- Always make sure each pe rson in the ve
hicle properly adjusts the ir head re
stra int. Adj ust the head rest raints so the
upper edge is as even as possib le with
the top of your head. If that is not possi
ble, try to adjust the head restra int so that
it is as close to this posit ion as pos
sible.
- Never attempt to ad just head restraint
while driving. If you have driven off and
m ust adjust the driver headrest for any
reason, first stop the vehicle safely be
fore at tempting to adjust the head re
straint.
- Chil dren must a lways be prope rly re
strained in a child restraint that is appro
p ria te fo r their age and size
c:> page 167.
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
effect iveness of safety belts and w ill even in
c rease the r is k of i njury and dea th by mov ing
the safety be lt to cr itical are as of the body.
Improper seating posi tions a lso increase the
risk of serio us injury and death when an air
bag deploys and str ikes an occupant who is
not in the proper seating posit ion. A dr iver is
responsible for the safety of all veh icle occu
pants and espec ially for children. Therefore :
• Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seating position when the vehicle is being
used
c:> ,& .
The following bulletins list on ly some samp le
pos itions that will increase the risk of serious
injury and death. Our hope is that these exam
ples will make you more aware of seat ing po
s itions that are dangerous .
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is
moving:
- neve r stand up i n the vehicle
- never stand on the seats
- never kneel on the seats
- never ride wit h the sea tback reclined
- neve r lie down o n the rear seat
- neve r lean up against the instrument panel ..,.
