Driving safety
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Applies to veh icles: w ith adj ustable head restra ints
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an impor
tant part of your vehicle 's occupant restraint sys
tem and can help to reduce the risk of injuries in
accident situations .
Fig. 149 Head rest ra int: v iewed fro m the fro nt
The head restraints must be correctly adjusted to
achieve the best protection.
"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¢
fig. 149 . Move the head restraint so
that it is as close to the back of the head as
possible .
" If there is a passenger on the rear center seat
ing pos ition, slide the center head restraint up
ward at least to the next notch.
Adjusting head restraints¢
page 60.
A WARNING
All seats are equipped with head restraints.
Driv ing without head restraints or with head
restra ints that are not properly adjusted in
creases the risk of serious or fatal neck injury
dramatically. To help reduce the r isk of injury:
- Always dr ive with the head restraints in
place and properly adjusted .
- Every person in the vehicle must have a
properly adjusted head restraint.
- Always make sure each person in the vehicle
properly adjusts their head restraint. Adjust
the head restraint so the upper edge is as
even as possib le with the top of your head.
If that is not possible, try to adjust the head
170
-
restraint so that it is as close to this position
as possible. Move the head restraint so that
it is as close to the back of the head as pos
sible .
- Never attempt to adjust head restraint
while driving. If you have driven off and
must adjust the driver headrest for any rea
son, first stop the vehicle safely before at
tempting to adjust the head restraint.
- Ch ildren must always be properly restrained
in a child restraint that is appropriate for
their age and size¢
page 209.
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only reduce
the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are properly
seated .
Improper seating positions can cause serious in
jury or death . Safety belts can only work when
they are properly positioned on the body. Im proper seating positions reduce the effectiveness
of safety belts and will even increase the risk of
i njury and death by moving the safety belt to crit
ica l areas of the body. Improper seating positions
also increase the risk of serious injury and death
when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant
who is not in the proper seating position. A driver
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
9 & .
The following bulletins list on ly some samp le po
sitions that will increase the risk of serious injury
and death . Our hope is that these examples will
make you more aware of seating positions 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
