Driver and Passenger Safety
35
The following pages give
instructions on how to check
proper seat belt fit, what kind of
booster seat to use if one is
needed, and important precautions
for a child who must sit in the
front seat.
Allowing a larger child to sit
improperly in the front seat can
result in injury or death if the
airbags inflate.
If a larger child must sit in front,
make sure the child moves the
seat as far back as possible
and wears the seat belt
properly.
Checking Seat Belt Fit
To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly fits a child, have the
child put on the seat belt. Follow
the instructions on page
13
. Then
check how the belt fits.
If the shoulder part of the belt
rests over the child’s collarbone
and against the center of the chest,
as shown, the child is large
enough to wear the seat belt.
However, if the belt touches or
crosses the child’s neck, the child
needs to use a booster seat.
Do not let a child wear a seat belt
across the neck. This could result
in serious neck injuries during a
crash.
Do not let a child put the
shoulder part of a seat belt
behind the back or under the
arm. This could cause very
serious injuries during a crash. It
also increases the chance that the
child will slide under the belt in a
crash and be injured.
