Safety System
3-2
You will find many safety precautions
and recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The safety precautions in this section are
among the most important.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all
types of accidents. Air bags are designed
to supplement seat belts, not replace
them. So even though your vehicle is
equipped with air bags, ALWAYS make
sure you and your passengers wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
Restrain All Children
All children under age 13 should ride
in your vehicle properly restrained in a
rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and
small children should be restrained in
an appropriate Child Restraint System.
Larger children should use a booster
seat with the lap/shoulder belt until they
can use the seat belt properly without a
booster seat.
Air Bag Hazards
While air bags can save lives, they can
also cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them, or
who are not properly restrained. Infants,
young children, and short adults are at
the greatest risk of being injured by an
inflating air bag. Follow all instructions
and warnings in this manual.
Driver Distraction
Driver distraction presents a serious and
potentially deadly danger, especially for
inexperienced drivers. Safety should be
the first concern when behind the wheel
and drivers need to be aware of the wide
array of potential distractions, such as
drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating,
personal grooming, other passengers,
and using mobile phones.Drivers can become distracted when
they take their eyes and attention off
the road or their hands off the wheel to
focus on activities other than driving.
To reduce your risk of distraction and an
accident:
• ALWAYS set up your mobile devices
(i.e., MP3 players, phones, navigation
units, etc.) when your vehicle is
parked or safely stopped.
• ONLY use your mobile device when
allowed by laws and conditions permit
safe use. NEVER text or email while
driving. Most countries have laws
prohibiting drivers from texting. Some
countries and cities also prohibit
drivers from using handheld phones.
• NEVER let the use of a mobile device
distract you from driving. You have a
responsibility to your passengers and
others on the road to always drive
safely, with your hands on the wheel
as well as your eyes and attention on
the road.
Control Your Speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash
injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher
the speed, the greater the risk, but
serious injuries can also occur at lower
speeds. Never drive faster than is safe
for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe
Condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical
failure can be extremely hazardous. To
reduce the possibility of such problems,
check your tire pressures and condition
frequently, and perform all regularly
scheduled maintenance.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Safety System
3-6
Information
The information provided may differ
depending on which functions are
applicable to your vehicle.
Safety Precautions
Adjusting the seats so that you are sitting
in a safe and comfortable position plays
an important role for the safety of the
driver an passengers, along with seat
belts and air bags when in an accident.
WARNING
Do not use a cushion that reduces
friction between the seat and the
passenger. The passenger’s hips may
slide under the lap portion of the seat
belt during an accident or a sudden
stop.
Serious or fatal internal injuries could
result because the seat belt cannot
operate properly.
Air bags
You can take steps to reduce the risk
of being injured by an inflating air bag.
Sitting too close to an air bag greatly
increases the risk of injury in the event
the air bag inflates.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) recommends
that drivers allow at least 10 inches (25
cm) between the center of the steering
wheel and their chest.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death from an inflating air bag, take the
following precautions:
• Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible maintaining the
ability to control the vehicle.
• Adjust the front passenger seat as far
to the rear as possible.
• Hold the steering wheel by the rim
with hands at the 9 o’clock and 3
o’clock positions to minimize the risk
of injuries to your hands and arms.
• NEVER place anything or anyone
between you and the air bag.
• Do not allow the front passenger to
place feet or legs on the dashboard
to minimize the risk of leg injuries.
Seat belts
Always fasten your seat belt before
starting any trip. At all times, passengers
should sit upright and be properly
restrained. Infants and small children
must be restrained in appropriate Child
Restraint Systems. Children who have
outgrown a booster seat and adults must
be restrained using the seat belts.
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
adjusting your seat belt:
• NEVER use one seat belt for more
than one occupant.
• Always position the seatback upright
with the lap portion of the seat belt
snug and low across the hips.
• NEVER allow children or small infants
to ride on a passenger’s lap.
• Do not route the seat belt across your
neck, across sharp edges, or reroute
the shoulder strap away from your
body.
• Do not allow the seat belt to become
caught or jammed.
Safety System
3-34
Additional Seat Belt Safety
Precautions
Seat belt use during pregnancy
The seat belt should always be used
during pregnancy. The best way to
protect your unborn child is to protect
yourself by always wearing the seat belt.
Pregnant women should always wear
a lap-shoulder seat belt. Place the
shoulder belt across your chest, routed
between your breasts and away from
your neck. Place the lap belt line so
that it fits snugly and as low as possible
across the hips, not across the abdomen.
WARNING
• A pregnant woman or a patient is
more vulnerable to any imapcts on
the abdomen during an abrupt stop
or accident. If you are in an accident
while pregnant, we recommend you
consult your doctor.
• To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death to an unborn child during an
accident, pregnant women should
NEVER place the lap portion of the
seat belt above or over the area of
the abdomen where the unborn child
is located.
Seat belt use and children
Infant and small children
All 50 states have child restraint laws
which require children to travel in
approved child restraint devices,
including booster seats. The age at
which seat belts can be used instead
of child restraints differs among states,
so you should be aware of the specific
requirements in your state, and where
you are travelling. Infant and child
restraints must be properly placed
and installed in a rear seat. For more
information refer to the “Child Restraint
Systems” section in this chapter.
WARNING
ALWAYS properly restrain infants
and small children in a child restraint
appropriate for the child’s height and
weight.
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death to a child and other passengers,
NEVER hold a child in your lap or arms
when the vehicle is moving. The violent
forces created during an accident will
tear the child from your arms and throw
the child against the interior of the
vehicle.
Small children are best protected
from injury in an accident when
properly restrained in the rear seat
by a child restraint system that meets
the requirements of the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards. Before buying
any child restraint system, make sure
that it has a label certifying that it meets
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
FMVSS 213. The restraint must be
appropriate for your child’s height and
weight. Check the label on the child
restraint for this information. Refer to the
“Child Restraint Systems” section in this
chapter.
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Larger children
Children under age 13 and who are
too large for a booster seat should
always occupy the rear seat and use the
available lap/shoulder belts. A seat belt
should lie across the upper thighs and
be snug across the shoulder and chest
to restrain the child safely. Check belt fit
periodically. A child’s squirming could
put the belt out of position. In the event
of an accident, children are afforded the
best safety restrained by a proper Child
Restraint System in the rear seats.
If a larger child over age 13 must be
seated in the front seat, the child must
be securely restrained by the available
lap/shoulder belt and the seat should be
placed in the rearmost position.
If the shoulder belt portion slightly
touches the child’s neck or face, try
placing the child closer to the center
of the vehicle. If the shoulder belt still
touches their face or neck, they need to
be returned to an appropriate booster
seat in the rear seat.
WARNING
• Always make sure larger children’s
seat belts are worn and properly
adjusted.
• NEVER allow the shoulder belt to
contact the child’s neck or face.
• Do not allow more than one child to
use a single seat belt.
Seat belt use and injured people
A seat belt should be used when an
injured person is being transported.
Consult a physician for specific
recommendations.
One person per belt
Two people (including children) should
never attempt to use a single seat belt.
This could increase the severity of
injuries in case of an accident.
Do not lie down
Sitting in a reclined position when the
vehicle is in motion can be dangerous.
Even when buckled up, the protections
of your restraint system (seat belts
and/or air bags) is greatly reduced by
reclining your seatback.
Seat belts must be snug against your
hips and chest to work properly.
During an accident, you could be thrown
into the seat belt, causing neck or other
injuries.
The more the seat back is reclined, the
greater the chance for the passenger’s
hips to slide under the lap belt or the
passenger’s neck to strike the shoulder
belt.
WARNING
• NEVER ride with a reclined seatback
when the vehicle is moving.
• Riding with a reclined seatback
increases your chance of serious
or fatal injuries in the event of a
collision or sudden stop.
• Driver and passengers should always
sit well back in their seats, properly
belted, and with the seatbacks
upright.
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Selecting a Child Restraint
System (CRS)
When selecting a Child Restraint System
for your child, always:
• Make sure the CRS has a label
certifying that it meets applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS 213).
• Select a Child Restraint System based
on your child’s height and weight. The
required label or the instructions for
use typically provide this information.
• Select a Child Restraint System that
fits the vehicle seating position where
it will be used.
• Read and comply with the warnings
and instructions for installation and
use provided with the Child Restraint
System.
Child Restraint System types
There are three main types of Child
Restraint Systems: rearward-facing,
forward-facing and booster Child
Restraint Systems.
They are classified according to the
child’s age, height and weight.
WARNING
NEVER install a child or infant restraint
in the front passenger’s seat.
Placing a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat can result in SERIOUS
INJURY or DEATH if the child restraint is
struck by an inflating air bag.
ORG3030016
Rear-facing child seats
A rear-facing child seat provides restraint
with the seating surface against the back
of the child. The harness system holds
the child in place, and in an accident,
acts to keep the child positioned in the
seat and reduce the stress to the neck
and spinal cord.
All children under age one must always
ride in a rear-facing infant child restraint.
Convertible and 3-in-1 child seats
typically have higher height and weight
limits for the rear-facing position,
allowing you to keep your child rear-
facing for a longer period of time.
Continue to use a rear-facing child seat
for as long as your child will fit within the
height and weight limits allowed by the
child seat manufacturer. It’s the best way
to keep them safe. Once your child has
outgrown the rear-facing child restraint,
your child is ready for a forward-facing
child restraint with a harness.
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ORG3030017
Forward-facing Child Restraint System
A forward-facing Child Restraint System
provides restraint for the child’s body
with a harness. Keep children in a
forward-facing Child Restraint System
with a harness until they reach the top
height or weight limit allowed by your
Child Restraint System’s manufacturer.
Once your child outgrows the forward-
facing Child Restraint System, your child
is ready for a booster seat.Booster seats
A booster seat is a Child Restraint
System designed to improve the fit of
the vehicle’s seat belt system. A booster
seat positions the seat belt so that it
fits properly over the stronger parts of
your child’s body. Keep your children in
booster seats until they are big enough
to fit in a seat belt properly.
For a seat belt to fit properly, the lap belt
must lie comfortable across the upper
thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder
belt should lie comfortable across the
shoulder and chest and not across the
neck or face. Children under age 13
must always be properly restrained to
minimize the risk of injury in an accident,
sudden stop or sudden maneuver.
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The vehicles are equipped with a Supplemental Air Bag System for the driver’s seat and
front passenger’s seats.
The front air bags are designed to supplement the three-point seat belts. For these air
bags to provide protection, the seat belts must be worn at all times when driving.
You can be severely injured or killed in an accident if you are not wearing a seat belt.
Air bags are designed to supplement seat belts, but do not replace them. Also, air bags
are not designed to deploy in every collision. In some accidents, the seat belts are the
only restraint protecting you.
WARNING
AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
ALWAYS use seat belts Child Restraint Systems - every trip, every time, everyone!
Even with air bags, you can be seriously injured or killed in a collision if you are
improperly belted or not wearing your seat belt when the air bag inflates.
NEVER place a child in any Child Restraint System or booster seat in the front
passenger seat, unless the air bag is deactivated.
An inflating air bag could forcefully strike the infant or child causing serious or fatal
injuries.
ABC - Always Buckle Children under age 13 in the back seat. It is the safest place
for children of any age to ride. If a child age 13 or older must be seated in the front
seat, he or she must be properly belted and the seat should be moved as far back as
possible.
All occupants should sit upright with the seatback in an upright position, centered
on the seat cushion with their seat belt on, legs comfortably extended and their feet
on the floor until the vehicle is parked and the vehicle is turned off. If an occupant
is out of position during an accident, the rapidly deploying air bag may forcefully
contact the occupant causing serious or fatal injuries.
You and your passengers should never sit or lean unnecessarily close to the air bags
or lean against the door or center console.
Move your seat as far back as possible from front air bags, while still maintaining
control of the vehicle. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends that drivers allow at least 10 in. (25 cm) between the center of
the steering wheel and the chest.