SMART fortwo coupe Owner's Manual page 38

Occupant safety
36
Seat belts
Protection provided by seat belts
Always fasten seat belts correctly before
commencing your journey. A seat belt can
only provide maximum protection when worn
correctly.
G
WARNING
If the seat belt is worn incorrectly, it can-
not perform its intended protective func-
tion. Furthermore, an incorrectly worn seat
belt can cause additional injuries, e.g. in
the event of an accident, heavy braking or
sudden changes of direction. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants
have their seat belts fastened correctly
and are sitting properly.
Always observe the notes on correct driver's
Y
seat position (
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ment ( page 55).
Every car occupant must observe the follow-
ing notes to ensure a properly worn seat belt
can provide full protection.
The seat belt must:
R
not be twisted and must be tight and fit
-
snugly across your body
be routed across the centre of the shoul-
-
der and as low down across your hips as
possible
the shoulder section of the belt should not
R
touch your neck nor be routed under your
arm or behind your back.
avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter
R
coat.
press the lap belt down into your hip joints
R
and pull taut by the shoulder section of the
belt. The lap belt must never be routed
across your stomach or abdomen.
never route the seat belt across sharp,
R
pointed, abrasive or fragile objects.
only one person per seat belt. Infants and
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children must never travel sitting on the
lap of a vehicle occupant.
never secure objects with a seat belt if the
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seat belt is also being used by one of the
vehicle's occupants. Always observe the
page 54) and seat adjust-
notes on "Loading the vehicle" for securing
objects, luggage or loads (
Also make sure that objects are never
placed between an occupant and the seat,
e.g. a cushion.
If children are travelling in the vehicle, be
sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on "Children in the vehicle"
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( page 40).
Limited protection from seat belts
G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended
level of protection if you have not moved
the backrest to an almost vertical position.
When braking or in the event of an acci-
dent, you could slide underneath the seat
belt and sustain abdomen or neck injuries,
for example. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensure that the
backrest is in an almost vertical position
and that the shoulder section of your seat-
belt is routed across the centre of your
shoulder.
G
WARNING
Persons under 1.50 m tall cannot wear the
seat belts correctly without an additional
suitable restraint system. If the seat belt is
worn incorrectly, it cannot perform its
intended protective function. Further-
more, an incorrectly worn seat belt can
cause additional injuries, e.g. in the event
of an accident, heavy braking or sudden
changes of direction. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always secure persons less than 1.50 m tall
in additional suitable restraint systems.
Y
page 142).