SMART fortwo cabriolet Operator's Manual page 34

Occupant safety
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temporary breathing difficulty for people
with asthma or other breathing trouble. To
avoid this, you may wish to get out of the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
have any breathing difficulty but cannot
get out of the vehicle after the air bag
inflates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or door.
G WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for
the driver and passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated
position with your back against the
backrest. Fasten your seat belt and ensure
it is properly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with
considerable speed and force, a proper
seating and hands on steering wheel
position will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag as it
inflates extremely quickly and with great
force:
Sit properly belted in a position that is
R
as upright as possible with your back
against the seat backrest.
Adjust the driver's seat as far as possible
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rearward, still permitting proper
operation of vehicle controls. The
distance from the center of the driver's
breastbone to the center of the air bag
cover on the steering wheel must be at
least 10 inches (25 cm) or more. You should
be able to accomplish this by
adjustments to the seat. If you have any
problems, please contact an authorized
electric drive smart center.
Do not lean your head or chest close to the
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steering wheel or dashboard.
Keep hands on the outside of the steering
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wheel rim. Placing hands and arms inside
the rim can increase the risk and
potential severity of hand/arm injury
when the driver's front air bag inflates.
Adjust the passenger seat as far as
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possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.
Occupants, especially children, should
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never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
head-thorax air bag (cabriolet) or
thorax-pelvis side air bag (coupé)
inflates. This could result in serious
injuries or death should the head-thorax
air bag (cabriolet) or thorax-pelvis side
air bag (coupé) be deployed. Always sit
as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the size
and weight of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in severe injuries to you or other
occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that
you make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual.
i
Air bags are designed to deploy only in
certain frontal impacts (front air bags
and knee bags), or side impacts (head-
thorax air bags, window curtain air bags
and thorax-pelvis air bags) which
exceed preset thresholds. Only during
these events will they provide their
supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always
wear their seat belts. Otherwise it is not
possible for air bags to provide their
supplemental protection.
In case of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passenger will then be
protected to the extent possible by a