2019 Ram 3500 child restraint

252 SAFETY
(Continued)
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain side impact events.
Side Impacts
The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in certain side
impacts. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) deter-
mines whether the deployment of the Side Air Bags in a
particular impact event is appropriate, based on the severity
and type of collision. The side impact sensors aid the ORC in
determining the appropriate response to impact events. The system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags on the
impact side of the vehicle during impacts that require Side
Air Bag occupant protection. In side impacts, the Side Air
Bags deploy independently; a left side impact deploys the
left Side Air Bags only and a right-side impact deploys the
right Side Air Bags only. Vehicle damage by itself is not a
good indicator of whether or not Side Air Bags should have
deployed.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side collisions,
including some collisions at certain angles, or some side
collisions that do not impact the area of the passenger
compartment. The Side Air Bags may deploy during angled
or offset frontal collisions where the front air bags deploy.
Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt restraint
system. Side Air Bags deploy in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes.
WARNING!
• Do not mount equipment, or stack luggage or other cargo up high enough to block the deployment of the
SABICs. The trim covering above the side windows
where the SABIC and its deployment path are located
should remain free from any obstructions.
• In order for the SABICs to work as intended, do not install any accessory items in your vehicle which could
alter the roof. Do not add an aftermarket sunroof to
your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require perma -
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for installation on
the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the vehicle
for any reason.
WARNING!
• Occupants, including children, who are up against or very close to Side Air Bags can be seriously injured or
killed. Occupants, including children, should never
lean on or sleep against the door, side windows, or area
where the side air bags inflate, even if they are in an
infant or child restraint.

SAFETY 253
NOTE:
Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim, but
they will open during air bag deployment.Rollover Events
Side Air Bags are designed to activate in certain rollover
events. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the deployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular
rollover event is appropriate, based on the severity and type
of collision. Vehicle damage by itself is not a good indicator
of whether or not Side Air Bags should have deployed.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all rollover events. The
rollover sensing system determines if a rollover event may
be in progress and whether deployment is appropriate. In
the event the vehicle experiences a rollover or near rollover
event, and deployment of the Side Air Bags is appropriate,
the rollover sensing system will also deploy the seat belt
pretensioners on both sides of the vehicle.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or complete
ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in
certain rollover or side impact events.
• Seat belts (and child restraints where appropriate) are
necessary for your protection in all collisions. They also
help keep you in position, away from an inflating Side
Air Bag. To get the best protection from the Side Air
Bags, occupants must wear their seat belts properly and
sit upright with their backs against the seats. Children
must be properly restrained in a child restraint or
booster seat that is appropriate for the size of the child.
WARNING!
• Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not lean against the door or window. Sit upright in the center of the seat.
• Being too close to the Side Air Bags during deployment could cause you to be severely injured or killed.

• Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could lead to more severe injuries in a collision. The Side Air Bags work with
your seat belt to restrain you properly. In some collisions,
Side Air Bags won’t deploy at all. Always wear your seat
belt even though you have Side Air Bags.

WARNING! (Continued)
4

258 SAFETY
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all times,
including babies and children. Every state in the United
States, and every Canadian province, requires that small
children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the law, and
you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride properly buckled
up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics,
children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seats
rather than in the front.There are different sizes and types of restraints for children
from newborn size to the child almost large enough for an
adult safety belt. Always check the child seat Owner’s
Manual to make sure you have the correct seat for your child.
Carefully read and follow all the instructions and warnings
in the child restraint Owner’s Manual and on all the labels
attached to the child restraint.
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety Standards.
You should also make sure that you can install it in the
vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:

• For additional information, refer to
http://www.nhtsa.gov/
parents-and-caregivers or call: 1–888–327–4236

• Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s website for additional information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/
eng/motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-child -
safety-index-53.htm
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to hold
even an infant on your lap could become so great that
you could not hold the child, no matter how strong you
are. The child and others could be badly injured or
killed. Any child riding in your vehicle should be in a
proper restraint for the child’s size.

SAFETY 259
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In VehiclesChild Size, Height, Weight Or AgeRecommended Type Of Child
Restraint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or
younger and who have not reached the
height or weight limits of their child
restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible
Child Restraint, facing rearward in a
rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old
or who have outgrown the height or
weight limit of their rear-facing child
restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a
five-point Harness, facing forward in a
rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have outgrown their
forward-facing child restraint, but are
too small to properly fit the vehicle’s
seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the
vehicle seat belt, seated in a rear seat of
the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who
have outgrown the height or weight
limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in a rear seat of
the vehicle
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260 SAFETY
Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing in
the vehicle until they are two years old or until they reach
either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing child
restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used
rear-facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle. It is
recommended for children from birth until they reach the
weight or height limit of the infant carrier. Convertible child
seats can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing in the
vehicle. Convertible child seats often have a higher weight
limit in the rear-facing direction than infant carriers do, so
they can be used rear-facing by children who have outgrown
their infant carrier but are still less than at least two years old.
Children should remain rear-facing until they reach the
highest weight or height allowed by their convertible child
seat.WARNING!
• Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of an air bag. A deploying passenger front air bag can cause
death or serious injury to a child 12 years or younger,
including a child in a rear-facing child restraint.
• Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing child restraint
in the rear seat. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat,
do not transport a rear-facing child restraint in that
vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not install a rear-facing car seat using a rear support
leg in this vehicle. The floor of this vehicle is not
designed to manage the crash forces of this type of car
seat. In a crash, the support leg may not function as it
was designed by the car seat manufacturer, and your
child may be more severely injured as a result.

SAFETY 261
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown their
rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-facing in
the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are for children
who are over two years old or who have outgrown the
rear-facing weight or height limit of their rear-facing
convertible child seat. Children should remain in a
forward-facing child seat with a harness for as long as
possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the
child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a belt-posi-
tioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly.
If the child cannot sit with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat
cushion while the child’s back is against the seatback, they
should use a belt-positioning booster seat. The child and
belt-positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
seat belt.WARNING!
• Improper installation can lead to failure of an infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a collision. The
child could be badly injured or killed. Follow the child
restraint manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
• After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward because it
can loosen the child restraint attachments. Remove the
child restraint before adjusting the vehicle seat posi -
tion. When the vehicle seat has been adjusted, reinstall
the child restraint.
• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchorages, 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.
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SAFETY 263
Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints Restraint Type Combined Weight
of the Child +
Child Restraint Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below
LATCH – Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt OnlyLATCH – Lower
Anchors + Top Tether Anchor Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
X
Rear-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
4

264 SAFETY
Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System LATCH Label Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchorage
system called LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system has three vehicle
anchor points for installing LATCH-equipped child seats.
There are two lower anchorages located at the back of the
seat cushion where it meets the seatback and one top tether
anchorage located behind the seating position. These anchor
-
ages are used to install LATCH-equipped child seats without
using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating positions may
have a top tether anchorage but no lower anchorages. In
these seating positions, the seat belt must be used with the
top tether anchorage to install the child restraint. Please see
the following table for more information.