Seats & Safety System3-2
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 to 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:
[
Set up your mobile devices (for
example, MP3 players, phones,
navigation units, etc.) ONLY 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
Seats & Safety System3-18
SEAT BELTS
This section describes how to use the
seat belts properly. It also describes
some of the things not to do when using
seat belts.
Seat Belt Safety Precautions
Always fasten your seat belt and make
sure all passengers have fastened their
seat belts before starting any trip. Air
bags are designed to supplement the
seat belt as an additional safety device,
not a replacement. Most countries
require all occupants of a vehicle to wear
seat belts.
WARNING
Seat belts must be used by ALL
passengers whenever the vehicle is
moving. Take the following precautions
when adjusting and wearing seat belts:
[ Children under the age of 13 should
be properly restrained in the rear
seats.
[ Never allow children to ride in the
front passenger seat, unless the air
bag is deactivated. If a child is seated
in the front passenger seat, move
the seat as far back as possible and
properly restrain them in the seat.
[ NEVER allow an infant or child to be
carried on an occupant’s lap.
[ NEVER ride with the seatback
reclined when the vehicle is moving.
[ Do not allow children to share a seat
or seat belt.
[ Do not wear the shoulder belt under
your arm or behind your back. [
NEVER wear a seat belt over fragile
objects. If there is a sudden stop or
impact, the seat belt can damage it.
[ Do not use the seat belt if it is
twisted. A twisted seat belt will not
protect you properly in an accident.
[ Do not use a seat belt if the webbing
or hardware is damaged.
[ Do not latch the seat belt into the
buckles of other seats.
[ NEVER unfasten the seat belt
while driving. This may cause loss
of vehicle control resulting in an
accident.
[ Make sure there is nothing in the
buckle interfering with the seat belt
latch mechanism. This may prevent
the seat belt from fastening securely.
[ No modifications or additions
should be made by the user which
will either prohibit the seat belt
adjusting devices from operating to
remove slack, or prohibit the seat
belt assembly from being adjusted to
remove slack.
WARNING
Damaged seat belts and seat belt
assemblies will not operate properly.
Always replace:
[ Frayed, contaminated, or damaged
webbing.
[ Damaged hardware.
[ The entire seat belt assembly after it
has been worn in an accident, even
if damage to webbing or assembly is
not apparent.