Sitting correctly and safely
Correct safety belt positioning
WARNING
Incorrect safety belt positioning can cause se-
rious injury in the event of an accident or dur-
ing sudden braking or driving maneuvers.
– Never drive with the backrest reclined ex-
tremely far. The more the backrest is tilted
back, the greater the risk of injury due to the
safety belt being routed incorrectly.
– The safety belt itself or a loose safety belt
can cause serious injuries if it shifts onto
soft areas of the body, such as the stomach.
– The shoulder portion of the safety belt must
lie over the center of the shoulder and
chest, and never under the arm, behind the
back, or across the neck or face.
Fig. 67 Lap/shoulder belt positioning
– The lap portion of the safety belt must lie
across the lap and never over the stomach.
– The safety belt must lie flat and securely on
the upper part of the body and the lap.
– The belt webbing must not be pinched or
twisted, or rub against sharp edges.
Fig. 68 Safety belt positioning for pregnant women
– If the safety belt height is set incorrectly
and/or the safety belt is routed incorrectly,
then the safety belt's protective function
will be impaired in the event of an accident.
Make sure the safety belt is at the right
height and is routed correctly for the person
in the vehicle who is using it.
Fastened safety belts offer optimal protection
during an accident and reduce the risk of serious
injury or death only when they are positioned cor-
rectly. Furthermore, the correct safety belt posi-
tion holds the vehicle occupant in place so that a
deployed airbag can provide maximum protec-
tion. Therefore, always fasten the safety belt and
make sure it is positioned correctly ðfig. 67.
– A safety belt that is too loose may result in
injuries during an accident, because your
body will move farther forward due to kinet-
ic energy and will be stopped abruptly by
the belt.
To ensure the safety belt is positioned correctly,
make sure of the following points:
– Bulky, loose clothing (such as a coat over a
sports jacket) may prevent the seat and
safety belts from functioning correctly.
– Do not position the safety belt over hard or
breakable objects (such as glasses, pens,
etc.).
– The lap portion of the safety belt must be locat-
ed across the lap.
– The shoulder portion of the safety belt must
rest over the center of the shoulder.
– The safety belt must always rest flat and se-
curely on the body.
– The lap belt portion of the safety belt must
sit as low as possible on the lap of pregnant
women and lie flat under the belly.
For pregnant women, the safety belt must rest
evenly across the chest and as low and flat as
possible on the lap, so that no pressure is applied
to the lower abdomen. This should be done
throughout the entire pregnancy ðfig. 68.
Note
Make sure that there are no hook-and-loop
fasteners or sharp objects such as zippers or
rivets on clothing in the area where the safety
70
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