Safe driving
the manufacturer's instructions and observe any
statutory requirements.
For safety reasons, we recommend that child
seats be installed on the rear seats. You should
only use a child seat on the front passenger seat
in exceptional circumstances.
A
WARNING
To avoid serious or fatal injury, children travel
ling in the vehicle must always be protected
with child restraint systems appropriate to
their height, weight and age.
- Children under 1.45 m tall or younger than
12 must not travel in the vehicle if there are
no suitable child seats. Please observe any
other applicable regulations in the country
in which you are travelling.
- Babies and children must never travel on an
other occupant's lap.
- Never allow more than one child to occupy
one child seat.
- Never leave a child without supervision in a
child seat.
- Never allow a child to travel unrestrained or
to stand up or kneel on a seat while the car
is moving. In an accident, the child could be
catapulted through the car, causing possibly
fatal injuries to itself and other occupants.
- To ensure proper protection by the child re
straint, it is important to wear the seat belts
in the correct position¢
page
206.
Always
check that the belt is properly positioned ac
cording to the instructions provided by the
manufacturer of the child seat. Incorrectly
worn seat belts can give rise to injuries even
in a minor collision.
- If children are out of position when the car
is moving, they are at greater risk of injury
during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an
accident. This is particularly the case if the
child is travelling on the front passenger's
seat and the airbag system is triggered in an
accident. This incorrect sitting position can
result in serious or even fatal injury.
- If you are using a child seat on the front
passenger seat in which the child faces the
196
direction of travel, you should move the
front passenger seat as far back as possible.
- Child seats in which the child faces the rear
of the car are located directly in the path of
the front passenger's airbag if it inflates. In
this case, the child could sustain serious or
fatal injuries if the airbag were to be de
ployed.
- Applies to vehicles on which the front pas
senger's airbag cannot be deactivated: Do
NOT use a rearward-facing child seat on
the front passenger's seat.
- Applies to vehicles with key-operated
switch for deactivating the front passeng
er's airbag: Do NOT use a rearward-facing
child seat on the front passenger's seat
while the front passenger's airbag is ac
tive. If you have no alternative but to use a
rearward-facing child seat on the front
passenger's seat, the front passenger's
airbag must be deactivated beforehand via
the key-operated switch* ¢
page
211.
Make sure that the front passenger's air
bag is reactivated by means of the key-op
erated switch* as soon as the child seat is
no longer needed on the front passenger's
seat.
- Always replace the child seat with a new one
after an accident as damage not externally
visible may have occurred.
Child safety and side airbags
Applies to vehicles: with side airbags
Fig. 173
Illustration of a dangerous sitting position near
the opening for the side airbag
...
