SAFETY
353
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the
shoulder belt comfortably, and whose legs are
long enough to bend over the front of the seat
when their back is against the seatback, should
use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple
5-step test to decide whether the child can use
the vehicle’s seat belt alone:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against
the back of the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over
the front of the vehicle seat – while the child
is still sitting all the way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s
shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible,
touching the child’s thighs and not the
stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the
whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was
“no”, then the child still needs to use a booster
seat in this vehicle. If the child is using the lap/
shoulder belt, check seat belt fit periodically
and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched.
A child’s squirming or slouching can move the
belt out of position. If the shoulder belt contacts
the face or neck, move the child closer to the
center of the vehicle, or use a booster seat to
position the seat belt on the child correctly.
Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt
under an arm or behind their back. In a crash,
the shoulder belt will not protect a child
properly, which may result in serious injury or
death. A child must always wear both the lap
and shoulder portions of the seat belt
correctly.
Restraint Type
Combined Weight of
the Child + Child
Restraint
Use Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below
LATCH – Lower Anchors
Only
Seat Belt Only
LATCH – Lower Anchors
+ Top Tether Anchor
Seat Belt + Top Tether
Anchor
Rear-Facing Child
Restraint
Up to 65 lbs (29.5 kg)
X
X
Rear-Facing Child
Restraint
More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg)
X
6
21_DJD2_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 353
