Rear Seats - Subaru 1998 Forester Owner's Manual

Rear seats

WARNING
D Never drive the vehicle with the head rests removed because
they are designed to reduce the risk of serious neck injury in the
event that the vehicle is struck from the rear.
D Seat belts provide maximum restraint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat. To reduce the risk of sliding un-
der the seat belt in a collision, the seatbacks should be always
used in the upright position while the vehicle is running. If the
seatbacks are not used in the upright position in a collision, the
risk of sliding under the lap belt and of the lap belt sliding up
over the abdomen will increase, and both can result in serious in-
ternal injury or death.
Especially when the occupant of the rear seat is a child, be sure
to position the seatback upright. Children are more likely to slide
under the lap belt than adults if the seatback is reclined in a colli-
sion.
D Do not put cushions or any other materials between occupants
and seatbacks or seat cushions. If you do so, the risk of sliding
under the lap belt and of the lap belt sliding up over the abdomen
will increase, and both can result in serious internal injury or
death.
D Never allow passengers to ride on the folded rear seatback or
in the cargo area. Doing so may result in serious injury.
D Never stack luggage or other cargo higher than the top of the
seatback because it could tumble forward and injure passengers
in the event of a sudden stop or accident.
D Secure skis and other lengthy items properly to prevent them
from shooting forward and causing serious injury during a sud-
den stop.
2-8