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C_ h _i_ l d _ S _a _f_ e _t..:; y __
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Child Safety
Important
things
to know
Introduction
The physical p ri ncip les of what happens w hen you r vehi cle is in a
crash apply also to children => page 122. But unli ke adu lts and teen -
age rs, th eir mu scles and bo nes are not fu ll y deve lope d. In many
respects chi ldren are at greater risk of serious injury in crashes t han
ad u lt s.
Because chi ldren's bodies are not ful ly deve loped, th ey require
restraint systems especially designed for their size, weight, and
body struc t ure. Many count r ies and all stat es of t he United States
and provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of approved
ch ild restrai nt sy stem s fo r infa nts and sma ll chi ld ren .
In a frontal crash at a speed of 20-35 mph (30-56 km/h) the forces
actin g on a 13-pou nd (6 kg) i nfa nt wi ll be more t han 20 t i mes th e
wei ght of the child. Thi s means the we ight of the child would
suddenly be more than 260 po u nds (120 kg). Under these condi -
tions, o nly an appropriate child restraint proper ly used can reduce
the risk of serious inj ury. Child restraints, like adu lt safety belts ,
m ust be used pro perly t o b e eff ect ive. Used imp roperly, they can
increase the risk of serious injury in an accident .
Consu lt the child saf ety seat manu f act ure r's inst ruct ions to be su re
the seat is right fo r your child's size:::::, pa ge 152, " Impo rtant safety
i nst ruct ions fo r using child safet y seats" . Please be sure to read and
heed all of the important information and WARNI NGS about child
safety, Advanced Airbags, and the in sta ll ati o n of child restrai nts in
th is chapte r.
There is a lot you need to know about the Advanced Airbags in your
vehi cle and how the y wo rk wh en inf ant s and chi ld ren in chi ld
restra ints are on the front passenge r seat . Because of the large
amou nt of import ant inf orm ation , w e cann ot rep eat it all here. We
Safety first
u rg e you t o read the detai led inf ormati o n in t his owner's man ual
abo ut airbags and the Advanced Airbag System in your vehic le and
t he very im po rta nt info rm at io n abou t t ranspo rt in g childr en o n t he
front passenger seat . Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS - they
are extr emely import ant f or yo ur safety and t he safety of your
passengers, espec ially infants and smal l children .
&
WARNING
All vehicle occupants and especially children must be restrained
properly whenever riding in a vehicle. An unrestrained or improp -
erly restrained child could be injured by striking the interior or by
being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or
impact . An unrestrained or improperly restrained child is also at
greater risk of injury or death through contact with an inflating
airbag .
&
WARNING
Children on the front seat of any car even with Advanced Airbags
can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates . A
child in a rearward-facing
child safety seat installed on the front
passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates .
•
The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest , door or roof.
•
Never install a rearward facing child safety seat on the front
passenger seat unless the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes
on and stays on . If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not
come on and stay on the inflating airbag will hit the child safety
seat or infant carrier with great force and will smash the child
safety seat and child against the backrest, door or roof. Have the
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