Volkswagen Jetta Wagon 2004 Owner's Manual page 114

Unbelted occupants are not able to resist
the tremendous forces of impact by holding
tight or bracing themselves. Without the
benefit of safety restraint systems, the un-
restrained occupant will slam violently into
the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield,
or w hatever else is in the way. Their impact
with the vehicle interior has all the energy
they had just before the collision.
Don't rely on airbags alone for protection.
Even when they deploy, airbags provide
only supplemental protection. Airbags are
not supposed to deploy in all kinds of acci-
dents. Although your Volkswagen is
equipped with airbags for the driver and
front seat passenger, all vehicle occupants,
including the driver, still have to wear safety
belts - regardless of whether their seating
position has an airbag.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only
once and that your safety belts are always
there to offer protection in those accidents
in which airbags are not supposed to deploy
or when they have already deployed.
Unbelted occupants can also be thrown out
of the vehicle where even more severe or
fatal injuries can occur.
SAFETY FIRST
Unbelted passengers in the rear seats en-
danger not only themselves but also other
passengers. In a frontal collision they will be
t hrown forward violently, where they can hit
and injure the driver or front seat passenger.
SAFETY BELTS - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - -- -- - 5