Safety features of your vehicle
26
3
Seat belt restraint system
SEAT BELTS
(Continued)
• Never wear a seat belt over
fragile objects. If there is a
sudden stop or impact, the
seat belt can damage it.
• Avoid wearing twisted seat
belts. A twisted belt can't do
its job as well. In a collision, it
could even cut into you. Be
sure the belt webbing is
straight and not twisted.
• Be careful not to damage the
belt webbing or hardware. If
the belt webbing or hardware
is damaged, replace it.
WARNING
Seat belts are designed to bear
upon the bony structure of the
body, and should be worn low
across the front of the pelvis or
the pelvis, chest and shoulders,
as applicable; wearing the lap
section of the belt across the
abdominal area must be avoided.
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WARNING
• For maximum restraint system
protection, the seat belts must
always be used whenever the
car is moving.
• Seat belts are most effective
when seatbacks are in the
upright position.
• Children age 12 and younger
must always be properly
restrained in the rear seat.
Never allow children to ride in
the front passenger seat. If a
child over 12 must be seated in
the front seat, he/she must be
properly belted and the seat
should be moved as far back as
possible.
• Never wear the shoulder belt
under your arm or behind your
back.
An improperly posi-
tioned shoulder belt can cause
serious injuries in a crash. The
shoulder belt should be posi-
tioned midway over your shoul-
der across your collarbone.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Seat belts should be adjusted
as firmly as possible, consis-
tent with comfort, to provide the
protection for which they have
been designed.
A slack belt will greatly reduce
the protection afforded to the
wearer.
Care should be taken to avoid
contamination of the webbing
with polishes, oils and chemi-
cals, and particularly battery
acid. Cleaning may safely be
carried out using mild soap and
water. The belt should be
replaced if webbing becomes
frayed, contaminated or dam-
aged. It is essential to replace
the entire assembly after it has
been worn in a severe impact
even if damage to the assembly
is not obvious. Belts should not
be worn with straps twisted.
Each seat belt assembly must
only be used by one occupant;
it is dangerous to put a belt
around a child being carried on
the occupant's lap.
