Sitting Safely - BMW 2006 X5 Owner's Manual

Sitting safely

The ideal sitting position can make a
vital contribution to relaxed driving that
is as fatigue-free as possible. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seat
position also plays an important role for
the passive safety of the occupants in
an accident. To ensure that the safety
systems operate with optimized effi-
ciency, we strongly urge you to follow
the instructions contained in the section
below.
For additional information on transport-
ing children safely, refer to page 57.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel
by its rim, with hands at the 9 o'clock
and 3 o'clock positions to minimize the
risk of injuries to your hands and arms
in the event of airbag deployment.
No one and nothing is to come between
the airbags and the seat occupant. Do
not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage
area. Make sure that the front passen-
ger is correctly seated and does not
rest feet or legs on the instrument
panel, as otherwise leg injuries can
occur if the front airbag is triggered.
Make sure that the occupants do not
rest their heads on side or head air-
bags, as otherwise injuries can occur if
the airbags are triggered.<
Even if you adhere to all instructions,
injuries resulting from contact with air-
bags cannot be fully excluded, depend-
ing on the circumstances. The ignition
and inflation noise may provoke a mild –
usually temporary – hearing loss in
extremely sensitive individuals.
For airbag locations and additional
information on airbags, refer to
page 55.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint
reduces the risk of cervical injuries in
accidents.
Adjust the head restraint so that
its center is approximately at the
height of the ears, as otherwise there is
an increased risk of injury in an acci-
dent.<
Safety belt
For every trip, use the safety belt on all
occupied seats. Airbags complement
the safety belt as an additional safety
device, but they do not represent a sub-
stitute.
Your vehicle has five seats that are all
equipped with a safety belt.
At all times, occupants should sit
upright and be properly restrained
– infants and small children in appropri-
ate child-restraint systems; larger chil-
dren and adults using the safety belts.
Each safety belt should always be used
by only one person; babies and children
may not ride on the lap of another pas-
senger.
In addition, pregnant women should
always wear a safety belt, making espe-
cially sure that the belt rests low on the
hips in the lap area, and does not press
against the abdomen.
Do not route the belt across your neck
or run it across sharp edges. Be sure
that the belt does not become caught
or jammed. Wear the safety belt without
twisting, snugly across the lap and
shoulders, as close to the body as pos-
sible. Be sure not to route it over solid
or breakable objects, otherwise the belt
can slip over the hips in the lap area in a
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