Mercedes-Benz C 230 1998 Owner's Manual page 46

Seat Belts and Supplem ental
R estraint System (SRS)
Your vehicle is equipped with seat
belts for all seats, em ergency ten­
sioning retractors for the front
seats, as well as front and side
impact airbags and knee bolsters
for driver and front passenger.
Seat Belts
Important!
Laws in m ost states and all
C anadian provinces require seat
belt use.
All states and provinces require
use of child restraints that com ply
with U.S. Federal M otor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 and Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
213.1.
For your safety and that of your
passengers we strongly recom ­
mend their use.
44
W arning!
C hildren 12 years old and
under must never ride in the
front seat, except in a
M ercedes-B enz authorized
BabySm art™ com patible child
seat, which operates with the
BabySm art™ system installed
in the vehicle to deactivate the
passenger side front airbag
when it is properly installed.
O therw ise they will be struck
by the airbag when it inflates in
a crash. If this happens,
serious or fatal injury will
result.
The back seat is the safest
place for children. Infants and
small children must ride in
back seats and be seated in an
infant or child restraint system ,
which is properly secured with
the v eh icle's seat belt, fully in
accordance with the seat
m anufacturer's instructions.
C hildren risk of serious or
fatal injuries is significantly
increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the
vehicle and they are not
properly secured in the child
restraint.
W arning!
N ever ride in a m oving vehicle
with the seat back reclined.
Sitting in an excessively re­
clined position can be d an ­
gerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If
you slide under it, the belt
would apply force at the ab­
dom en or neck. T h at could
cause serious or even fatal
injuries. The seat back and
seat belts provide the best
restraint when the w earer is in
an upright position and belts
are properly positioned on the
body.