Lexus RX300 2003, Owner'S Manual

Page: 145 / 354

CHILD RESTRAINT
Child restraint precautions
Lexus strongly urges the use of child restraint systems for
children small enough to use them.
The laws of all 50 states in the U.S.A. and Canada now require
the use of a child restraint system.
Your vehicle conforms to SAE J1819.
If a child is too large for a child restraint system, the child should
sit in the rear seat and must be restrained using the vehicle’s
seat belt. See “Seat belts” on page 105 for details.
CAUTION
For effective protection in automobile accidents and
sudden stops, a child must be properly restrained,
using a seat belt or child restraint system depending
on the age and size of the child. Holding a child in
your arms is not a substitute for a child restraint
system. In an accident, the child can be crushed
against the windshield, or between you and the
vehicle’s interior.
Lexus strongly urges use of a proper child restraint
system which conforms to the size of the child,
installed on the rear seat. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained
in the rear seat than in the front seat.
Never put a rear–facing child restraint system on the
front seat. In the event of an accident, the force of the
rapid inflation of the airbag can cause death or
serious injury if a rear–facing child restraint system
is put on the front seat.
Unless it is unavoidable, do not put a forward–facing
child restraint system on the front seat.
A forward–facing child restraint system should be
allowed to be installed on the front passenger seat
only when it is unavoidable. Always move the seat as
far back as possible, because the force of the
deploying front passenger airbag could cause death
or serious injury to the child.
Do not allow the child to lean against the front door
or around the front door even if the child is seated in
the child restraint system. It is dangerous if the side
airbags inflate, because the impact could cause
death or serious injury to the child.
Make sure you have complied with all installation
instructions provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and that the system is properly
secured.