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146
Ch ild Saf e ty
feature . If the convertible locking retractor is
not deactivated, the safety belt will gradua lly
become tighter and uncomfortable to wear.
A
WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats in-
crease the risk of ser ious personal injury
and death in a collision.
- Never unfasten the safety belt to deacti-
vate the convert ible locking retractor for
child restraints while the veh icle is mov -
ing . You would not be restrained and
cou ld be ser iously injured in an accident .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restrained in ave-
hicle is being used
¢ page 133.
Special
precautions apply when installing a ch ild
safety seat on the front passenger seat
¢
page 113, Child restraints on the front
seat - some important things to know.
LATCH
Lower
anchorages
and tethers
for children
Child Restraint System anchors and how
are they related to child safety
To provide a simpler and more practicable way
to attach the child restraint on the vehicle
seat, Federal regu lations require specia l lower
anchorages in vehicles and dev ices on new
chi ld restraints to attach to the vehicle ancho-
rages.
The combination of the tether anchorages and
the lower anchorages is now generally called
the LATCH system for "Lower Anchorages and
Tethers for Children." In Canada, the terms
"top tether" with "lower universal anchorag-
es" (or "lower universal anchorage bars") are
used to describe the system.
Forward-facing child restraints manufactured
after September 1, 1999, are required by U.S.
federal regulations to comply with new child
head movement performance requirements.
These new performance requirements make a
tether necessary on most new child seats .
Installing a child restraint that requires a top
tether without one can seriously impair the
performance of the child restraint and its abil-
ity to protect the child in a collision. Insta lling
a child restraint that requires a top tether
without the top tether may be a violation of
state law.
Child restraint manufacturers
offer LATCH
lower anchorages on their child seats with
hook -on or push-on connectors attached to
adjustable straps .
In addition to the LATCH lower anchorages,
these child restraint systems usually require
the use of tether straps to help keep the child
restraint firmly in place.
A
WARNING
,..__
Improper installat ion of child restraints
will increase the risk of injury and death in
a crash.
- Always follow the instructions provided
by the manufacturer of the child re-
straint you intend to install in your vehi-
cle.
- Never install a chi ld restraint without a
properly attached top tether strap if the
child restraint manufacturer's
instruc-
tions require the top tether strap to be
used.
- Improper use of child restraint LATCH
lower anchorage points can lead to injury
in a collision . The LATCH lower anchorage
points are designed to withstand only
those loads imposed by correctly fitted
child restraints.
- Never mount two child restraint systems
on one LATCH lower anchorage point.
- Never secure or attach any luggage or
other item to the LATCH lower anchorag-
es .
0)
Tips
- In Canada, the terms "top tether" with
"lower universal anchorages" (or "lower
universal anchorage bars") are used to
descr ibe the system .
-
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