document_0900452a81793dcc.book Seite 157 Mittwoch, 21. März 2007 5:42 17
Safe driving
157
• never ride in the footwell,
Examples of incorrect sitting positions
• never travel on a seat without wearing the seat belt,
• never climb into the luggage compartment.
Occupants can suffer severe or fatal injuries injuries if
they sit in an incorrect position while the vehicle is
moving.
WARNING
Seat belts can only provide maximum protection if the belt
webbing is positioned correctly. Sitting out of position
greatly reduces the effectiveness of the seat belts and
increases the risk of injury since the belt webbing is not
worn in the position for which it is designed. The driver is
responsible for the safety of all vehicle occupants, espe-
cially for children.
Sitting out of position increases the risk of severe injuries.
• Sitting out of position exposes the occupants to potentially
fatal injuries: if the airbags inflate they can strike any occupant
who is not in one of the designed seat positions.
• Before starting a trip, sit in the correct position and stay in this
position as long as the vehicle is moving. Before every trip, make
sure all passengers are sitting in the correct positions and remain
correctly seated at all times ⇒ page 70, “Seats and storage”.
– Never allow anyone to sit out of position while the
vehicle is moving ⇒
.
The following list shows just some examples of incorrect sitting
positions which can be dangerous to all occupants. The list is not
complete, but will help to make you aware of possible dangers
which can be avoided.
Pedal area
Pedals
The pedals must always be free to move and must never
be obstructed by floor mats or any objects in the footwell.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is moving:
• never stand up in the vehicle,
• never stand on the seats,
– Make sure that the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals
are not obstructed and can be pressed all the way down
to the floor.
• never kneel on the seats,
• never travel with the backrest reclined too far,
• never lean against the dash panel,
• never lie down on the rear seat,
• never sit on the front edge of a seat,
• never sit sideways,
– Make sure that all pedals are able to return freely to their
original positions.
Only use floor mats which leave the pedal area free and can be
securely fastened in the footwell.
• never lean out of the window,
If one of the brake circuits should fail, increased brake pedal travel
will be required to bring the vehicle safely to a stop.
• never put your feet out of the window,
• never put your feet on the dash panel,
• never put your feet on the seat cushion,
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