Important Safety Information Regarding The Use Of Seat Belts - Skoda Octavia Tour Owner's Manual

86 Seat belts
The common opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident with
your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces acting on
the body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed within the range from 30 km/hour to 50 km/hour,
the forces which are produced on your body in the event of an accident can easily
exceed 10.000 N (Newton). This equals a weight of one tonne (1 000 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the vehicle not wearing a seat belt,
are thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the
vehicle, such as steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen,
The occupants of a vehicle who have not fastened their seat belts may even be
thrown out of the vehicle. This can result in fatal injuries.
It is also important that rear seat occupants fasten their seat belts as they will
otherwise be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontrolled manner in the event of
an accident A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a danger
not only to himself but also for those seated at the front
Important safety information regarding the use of
seat belts
The correct use of the seat belts considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
•
The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted,
or chafe against any sharp edges.
•
It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed if the seat belts are
to offer their maximum protection  page 87.
•
No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt
together.
•
The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if you
are correctly seated  page 82, "Correct seated position".
•
The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. spectacles,
ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause of injuries.
•
Bulky, loose clothing (e.g. a winter coat over a jacket) does not allow you to
be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the seat belts.
•
It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e.g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).
•
The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct one
for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to protect and
the risk of injury increases.
•
The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
•
The belt webbing must always be kept clean. A soiled belt webbing may
 page 85, fig. 91 - left.
impair proper operation of the inertia reel  page 126, "Seat belts".
•
The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or similar objects
otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place properly.
•
Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condition. If you
find seat belts which have damage to the seat belt webbing, seat belt connec-
tions, to the inertia reels or to the lock, the relevant safety belt must be replaced
 page 85, fig. 91
- right.
by a specialist garage.
•
The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not make an
attempt to repair the seat belts yourself.
•
Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident and
were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a specialist
garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected. The
anchorage points for the belts should also be checked.
•
In certain countries it is possible to use seat belts which differ in terms of
their operation from the seat belts which are described on the pages which
follow.
WARNING (continued)