Child Safety (cont'd)
Important Safety Reminders
Never hold a baby or child on your lap when riding in a car. If you are
wearing your seat belt, the violent forces created during
a
crash will
tear the child from your arms. The child could be seriously hurt or
killed.
If you are holding a child and not wearing a seat belt in a crash, you
could crush the child against the inside of the car.
Never put your seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash,
the belt could press deep into the child, causing serious internal
injuries.
Two children should never use the same seat belt. If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a crash.
If you are driving with small children in the car, you should use the
childproof door locks to prevent them from opening the rear doors
(see page
5
).
General Guidelines for Restraining Children Under 40 Pounds
(18kg)
Use an approved child seat.
The seat must meet Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS-213) or Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. Look for the manufacturer's statement of
compliance on the box and seat.
Use a seat of the right size.
Make sure the seat fits your child. Check
the seat's instructions and labels for height and weight limits.
Secure the child seat to the car.
All approved child seats are designed
to be secured in the car seat by the lap belt or the lap belt portion of
a lap/shoulder belt. A child whose seat is not properly secured to
the car can be endangered in a crash.
To properly route a seat belt through a child seat, follow the seat
maker's instructions. If you use a lap/shoulder belt, be sure you
install a locking clip on the belt (see page
32
).
Secure the child in the child seat.
Make sure the infant or child is firmly
secured to the child seat. Use the straps provided, and carefully
follow the manufacturer's instructions.
