Safety Features Of Your Vehicle; Important Safety Precautions - Kia Sportage 2024 Owner's Manual

Safety features of your vehicle

Safety features of your
vehicle
For the safety of the driver and vehicle
passengers, you should become familiar
with the vehicle's safety features.

Important safety precautions

You will find many safety precautions
and recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The safety precautions in this section are
among the most important.
Always wear your seat belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all
types of accidents. Air bags are
designed to supplement seat belts, not
replace them. So even though your vehi -
cle is equipped with air bags, ALWAYS
fasten your seat belt and make sure all
of your passengers have properly fas -
tened their seat belts or restraints before
placing vehicle in motion.
Restrain all children
All children under age 13 should ride in
your vehicle properly restrained in a rear
seat, not the front seat. Infants and small
children should be restrained in an
appropriate child restraint. Larger chil -
dren should use a booster seat with the
lap/shoulder belt until they can use the
seat belt properly without a booster seat.
Air bag hazards
While air bags can save lives, they can
also cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them, or
who are not properly restrained. Infants,
young children, and shorter adults are at
the greatest risk of being injured by an
Important safety precautions
inflating air bag. Follow all instructions
and warnings in this manual.
Driver distraction
Driver distraction presents a serious and
potentially deadly danger, especially for
inexperienced drivers. Safety should be
the first concern when behind the wheel
and drivers need to be aware of the wide
array of potential distractions, such as
drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating,
personal grooming, other passengers,
and using cellular phones.
Drivers can become distracted when
they take their eyes and attention off the
road or their hands off the wheel to
focus on activities other than driving. To
reduce your risk of distraction or getting
into an accident:
僅 ALWAYS set up your mobile devices
(i.e., MP3 players, phones, navigation
units, etc.) when your vehicle is
parked or safely stopped.
僅 ONLY use your mobile device when
allowed by laws and when conditions
permit safe use. NEVER text or email
while driving. Most states have laws
prohibiting drivers from texting. Some
states and cities also prohibit drivers
from using handheld phones.
僅 NEVER let the use of a mobile device
distract you from driving. You have a
responsibility to your passengers and
others on the road to always drive
safely, with your hands on the wheel
as well as your eyes and attention on
the road.
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