Safety System
3-26
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
Most countries 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 countries,
so you should be aware of the specific
requirements in your country, 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.