03
3-47
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 below your
belly so that it fits SNUGLY across your
hips and pelvic bone, under the rounded
part of the belly.
WARNING
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A pregnant woman or a patient is
more vulnerable to any imapacts on
the abdomen during an abrupt stop
or accident. If you are in an accident
while pregnant, we recommend you
consult your doctor.
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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 System
laws which require children to travel
in approved Child Restraint System
devices, including booster seats. The
age at which seat belts can be used
instead of Child Restraint System differs
among states, so you should be aware of
the specific requirements in your state,
and where you are travelling. Infant and
Child Restraint System 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
System 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 Child Restraint System must be
appropriate for your child’s height and
weight. Check the label on the Child
Restraint System for this information.
Refer to “Child Restraint Systems”
section in this chapter.
