44
Child safety
Safety notes on using child seats
WARNING (continued)
Proper use of child seats substantially reduces the risk of
injury in an accident!
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Never allow a child to be transported in a vehicle without being properly
secured, or to stand up or kneel on a seat while travelling. In an accident,
the child could be flung through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal injuries
to themselves and other occupants.
As the driver, you are responsible for any children you transport in
your vehicle.
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If children assume an improper sitting position when the car is moving,
they expose themselves to greater risk of injury during a sudden braking
manoeuvre or in an accident. This is particularly the case if the child is trav-
elling on the front passenger seat and the airbag system is triggered in an
accident; this could have consequences including serious injury or death.
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Protect your children by properly using appropriate child seats
⇒ page 45.
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Always ensure that the belt webbing is properly positioned
according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the
child seat.
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A suitable child seat can protect your child!
Never leave a child unsupervised in a child seat or alone in the vehicle.
Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or cold
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When travelling, do not allow children to distract you from traffic.
inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.
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Children who are less than 1.5 metres tall must not wear a normal seat
Take breaks regularly during long trips. Take a break at least
every two hours.
belt without a child restraint system, as this could cause injuries to the
abdominal and neck areas during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an
accident.
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Do not allow the belt webbing to become twisted or jammed, or to rub
on any sharp edges.
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause injuries even in a minor collision
or sudden braking manoeuvres.
The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the belt web is
properly positioned ⇒ page 22, “Seat belts”.
Only one child may occupy a child seat ⇒ page 45, “Child seats”.
WARNING
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Never install a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat unless
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the front passenger airbag has been disabled. Risk of potentially fatal inju-
ries to the child! If it is necessary, in exceptional circumstances, to trans-
port a child on the front passenger seat, always disable the front passenger
airbag ⇒ page 41, “Deactivating airbags*”.
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For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the
airbag off, an Authorised Service Centre must be consulted.
All passengers, especially children, must assume the proper sitting
position and be properly belted in while travelling.
Never hold children or babies on your lap, this can result in potentially
fatal injuries to the child!
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