Mini COOPER Convertible, Owner'S Manual

Page: 44 / 168

42
SAFE SEATING POSITION
The ideal seating position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, relatively fatigue-
free driving. Together with the safety belts
and airbags, the seating position also plays
an important role in providing occupants
with maximum levels of passive safety in
an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instruc-
tions contained in the following section.
For additional information about trans-
porting children safely, refer to page
50 .
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and all of the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel by
the rim with the hands at the 9 and
3 o'clock positions to keep any chance of
injury to hands or arms to an absolute min-
imum, should the airbag be deployed.
No one and nothing is to come between
the airbags and the seat occupant. Do not
use the front passenger airbag cover as a
storage surface for objects of any kind.
Ensure that the front passenger is correctly
seated, e.g. that no feet or legs are propped
against the dashboard. Otherwise, leg
injury could result if the front passenger
airbag suddenly deployed.
Make sure that passengers do not lean
their heads against the side or head airbag,
as injuries could result if the side airbags
were triggered.
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Even if all these instructions are followed, it
cannot entirely be ruled out that in some
circumstances injury may result from con-
tact with the airbags. In sensitive individu-
als, the ignition and inflation noise may
induce a mild hearing loss that is usually
temporary.
For airbag locations and additional infor-
mation on airbags, refer to page
75 .
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces
the risk of injury to the cervical spine in the
event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a
way that it is centered roughly at ear
level. Otherwise, there is an increased risk
of injury in the event of an accident.
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Safety belt
Fasten your safety belt before each drive.
Airbags are an additional safety device and
work in conjunction with the safety belts,
but do not replace them. Your vehicle is
equipped with four seats, each of which is
provided with a safety belt.
Expectant mothers should always
wear their safety belts, taking care to
position the belt in the pelvic area against
the lower hips, where it will not exert pres-
sure against the abdomen.
Never allow more than one person to wear
a single safety belt. Never allow infants or
small children to ride in a passenger's lap.
Do not route the belt across your neck, or
run it across sharp edges. Be sure that the
belt does not become caught or jammed.
Avoid twisting the belt while routing it
firmly across the hips and shoulder; wear it
as snugly against your body as possible and
do not allow it to rest against hard or frag-
ile objects. Otherwise, the belt in the pelvic
area could slide over the hips in the event
of a frontal impact, leading to abdominal
injury. Avoid wearing bulky clothing and
pull the belt in the upper-body area upward
periodically to retension it. Otherwise, the
restraining effect of the safety belt could
be diminished.
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For information on using the safety belts,
refer to page
46 .
Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 159 801 - © 09/05 BMW AG