Mercedes-Benz 2011 G-Class Operator's Manual page 46

Occupant safety
44
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries can
be considerably more severe without your
seat belt properly buckled. Without your seat
belt buckled, you are much more likely to hit
the interior of the vehicle or be ejected from
it. You can be seriously injured or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are properly wearing
your seat belt. The air bags can only protect
as intended if the occupants are properly
wearing their seat belts.
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Warning
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and the seat belt is properly
positioned on the body.
G
Warning
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than
there are seat belts available. Make sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt. Never
use a seat belt for more than one person at a
time.
G
Warning!
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident must
be replaced. Also, the seat belt anchoring
points must be checked.
Only use seat belts which have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
of the ETDs or to their failure to activate when
necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Correct use of the seat belt
G
Warning
CORRECT USE OF SEAT BELTS
Seat belts only work properly if they are
R
fastened correctly. Never wear seat belts in
any other way than as described in this
section, as that could result in serious
injuries in the event of an accident.
All occupants should wear their seat belt at
R
all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, even if the vehicle
overturns. The restraint system installed is
equipped with SRS (driver's air bag, front-
passenger air bag, window curtain air
bags), belt tensioners and belt force
limiters.
The system is designed to enhance the
protection offered to occupants who are
wearing their seat belts correctly, in certain
frontal impacts (front air bags and belt
tensioners) and side impacts (window
curtain air bags and belt tensioners) which
exceed preset deployment thresholds.
Never route the shoulder section of the
R
seat belt under your arm, across your neck
or anywhere other than across your
shoulder. In the event of a frontal impact,
your body would be moved too far forward.
This would increase the risk of head and
neck injuries. The seat belt would then
apply excessive force to the ribs or
abdomen which could cause severe
internal injuries to organs such as the liver
or spleen.