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Alt hough they are not a soft pillow, they can
"cushion" the impact and in this way they can
help to reduce the risk of injury to the lower
extremities.
All of this takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don't even realize that
the airbags have deployed. The airbags also
inflate with a great deal of force and it is im-
portant for occupant safety that noth ing
should be in their way when they deploy.
Fully inflated airbags in comb ination with
properly worn safety belts slow down and lim-
it the occupant's forward movement and help
to reduce the risk of injury.
Important safety instructions on the
knee airbag system
Appl ies t o vehicles : wit h knee airb ags
Airbags are only supplemental restraints . Al-
ways wear safety belts correctly and ride in a
proper seating position.
There is a lot that you and your passengers
must know and do to help the safety belts and
airbags to provide supp lemental protection .
A
WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause ser ious
injury. Wearing safe ty belts incorrect ly and
improper seating posit ions increase the
risk of serious personal injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used .
- The knee airbag system cannot protect
you properly if you are seated too close
to any of the airbag locations. When ad-
just ing their seat positions, it is impor-
tant that both the driver and the front
passenger keep their upper bodies and
knees at the following minimum safe
distances:
- at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the
chest and the steering wheel/instr u-
ment panel.
- at least 4 inches (10 cm) between the
knees and the lower part of the inst ru-
ment panel.
A irbag sys tem
159
- The risk of personal injury increases if
you lean forward or to the side, or if the
seat is improperly positioned and you are
not wearing your safety belt . The risk in-
creases even more should the airbag de-
ploy.
- Always make sure that the knee airbag
can inflate without inte rference . Objects
between you and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by inte r-
fering with the way the airbag deploys or
by being pushed into you as t he airbag
deploys.
- Never let anybody, especia lly children
or anima ls ride in t he footwell in front
of the passenge r seat . If the airbag de-
ploys, th is can result in serious or fat al
injuries.
- Never carry objects of any kind in the
footwell area in front of the driver's or
passenger 's sea t . Bulky objects (shop-
ping bags, for example) can interfe re
with or prevent proper deployment of
the airbag . Small objects can be
thrown thro ugh the vehicle if the air-
bag deploys and injure you or your pas-
sengers.
- Make sure there are no cracks, deep
scratches or other damage in the area of
the instrument panel where the knee air-
bags are located .
- If children are incorrectly seated, their
risk of injury increases in a collision
~
page 166, Child Safety .
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