Get Safety -> Seat belts Guide for Skoda Superb SUV First Generation (2001-2008)

130 Seat belts

Seat belts

It is important that you pay attention to safety measures, particularly when trans-

porting children in the vehicle ⇒ page 146, “Transporting children safely”.

Why seat belts?

WARNING

•

Fasten your seat belt each time before setting off, also when driving in

town! This also applies to the people seated at the rear - risk of injury!

Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way

•

of ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child ⇒ page 132, “Fastening

three-point seat belts”.

•

It is important for the belt webbing to be properly routed if the seat belts

are to offer the maximum protection. You can see a description of how safety

belts should be fitted properly on the next pages.

Fig. 137 Driver wearing

seat belt

Note

Please comply with any differing legal requirements when using the seat belts.

It is a proven fact that seat belts offer good protection in accidents ⇒ fig. 137. Thus

wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement in most countries.

Seat belts which have been correctly fastened and adjusted hold the occupants of

the car in the correct seated position ⇒ fig. 137. The belts reduce the kinetic energy

(energy of motion) to a considerable extent. They also prevent uncontrolled move-

ments which, in turn, may well result in severe injuries.

The occupants of a vehicle who have fastened and correctly adjusted their seat belt,

profit to a major extent from the fact that the kinetic energy is optimally absorbed

by the belts. The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety

measures, such as the airbag system, also contribute to reducing the kinetic energy.

The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less risk of injury.

Accident statistics prove that seat belts which are fastened and properly adjusted

reduce the risk of an injury and enhance the chance of survival in a major accident

⇒ page 131.

Seat belts 131

the greater the amount of energy which has to be absorbed in the event of an acci-

The physical principle of a frontal collision

dent.

The speed of the vehicle is, nevertheless, the most important factor. Doubling the

speed of the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/h increases the kinetic energy four

times.

The common opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident

with your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces

acting on the body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.

Even if you only drive at a speed within the range from 30 km/h to 50 km/h, the

forces which are produced on your body in the event of an accident can easily

exceed 10.000 N (Newton). This equals a weight of one tonne (1 000 kg).

In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt, are

thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the car,

such as steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen,⇒ fig. 138. The occupants of a

vehicle who have not fastened their seat belts may even be thrown out of the

vehicle. This can result in fatal injuries.

Fig. 138 The driver is

thrown forward if not

wearing a belt

It is also important that rear seat occupants fasten their seat belts as they will other-

wise be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontrolled manner in the event of an

accident A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a danger not

only to himself but also for those seated at the front ⇒ fig. 139.

Important safety information regarding the use of

seat belts

The correct use of the seat belts considerably reduces the risk of

injury!

Fig. 139 The rear seat

occupant is thrown

forward if not wearing a

belt

WARNING

The physical principle of a frontal accident can be explained quite simply:

•

The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or

twisted, or chafe against any sharp edges.

It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed if the seat belts

Motion energy, so-called kinetic energy, is produced as soon as the vehicle is

moving, both for the vehicle and its occupants. The magnitude of this kinetic energy

depends essentially on the speed at which the vehicle is travelling and on the

weight of the vehicle and the occupants. The greater the speed and weight increase,

•

are to offer their maximum protection ⇒ page 132, “How are seat belts

correctly fastened?”.

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132 Seat belts

How are seat belts correctly fastened?

WARNING (continued)

•

No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt

together.

Fastening three-point seat belts

Fasten your seat belt before starting!

•

The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if

you are correctly seated ⇒ page 127, “Correct seated position”.

•

The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. spec-

tacles, ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause of injuries.

Bulky, loose clothing (e.g. a winter coat over a jacket) does not allow you

to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the seat belts.

It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e.g. for

shortening the belts for smaller persons).

The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct

•

one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to

protect and the risk of injury increases.

•

The backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear

otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.

The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may

impair proper operation of the inertia reel ⇒ page 179, “Seat belts”.

The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or similar

objects otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place properly.

Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condition. If

Fig. 140 Routing of

webbing over the shoul-

ders and the lap belt

•

you find seat belts which have damage to the seat belt webbing, seat belt

connections, to the inertia reels or to the lock, the relevant safety belt must

be replaced by a specialist garage.

•

The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not make

an attempt to repair the seat belts yourself.

Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident

•

and were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a

specialist garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected.

The anchorage points for the belts should also be checked.

Fig. 141 Routing of belt

webbing for an expectant

mother

•

In certain countries it is possible to use seat belts which differ in terms of

their operation from the seat belts which are described on the pages which

follow.

–

Correctly adjust the front seat and the head restraint before fastening

your seat belt ⇒ page 127, “Correct seated position”.

Seat belts 133

–

Slowly pull the belt webbing at the tongue of the lock over your chest

and pelvis ⇒

Seat belt height adjuster

.

Insert the tongue of the lock into the seat belt buckle belonging to the

seat until it is heard to lock in place.

Pull on the belt to check that it has also reliably engaged in the lock.

Each three-point seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel. This inertia reel offers

you complete freedom of movement if the belt is unreeled slowly. If the brakes are

applied suddenly, the inertia reel will block. It also blocks the belts when the car

accelerates, when driving uphill and when cornering.

Fig. 142 Front seat: Seat

belt height adjuster

Expectant mothers must also wear the seat belt ⇒

.

WARNING

The seat belt height adjuster makes it possible for you to adapt the

routing of the three-point seat belt in the area of the shoulder to match

your body size.

•

The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across your neck but

must run approximately over the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly

against the chest. The lap part of the belt must run across the hip and must

never be routed across the stomach. It must always fit snugly ⇒ page 132,

fig. 140. Adjust the belt webbing as required.

–

Move the height adjuster in the desired direction up or down

⇒ fig. 142.

–

Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster

has correctly locked in place.

•

The lap part of the belt should be positioned as low as possible at the

pelvis of an expectant mother in order to avoid exerting any pressure on the

lower abdomen.

•

Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat

belts which are not correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in

minor accidents.

WARNING

Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the belt

is positioned approximately across the middle of your shoulder - on no

account across your neck.

•

A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body

is moved forward by the kinetic energy produced in an accident and is then

suddenly held firm by the belt.

•

Only insert the lock tongue into the lock which is the correct one for your

seat. This will affect the protection which the belt offers and increase the risk

of an injury!

Note

It is also possible to adapt the routing of the belt webbing at the front seats by

adjusting the height of the seat.

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134 Seat belts

Taking seat belts off

Blocking seat belts

The three-point seat belts for the front passenger and for the rear seats can be

blocked for attaching a child safety seat ⇒ page 152, “Attaching child safety seat”.

Blocking the belt in this way ensures that the child seat is held firmly in position in

the car.

WARNING

Never attach a child safety seat on the front passenger seat if the child is

seated with its back facing in direction of travel when the front passenger

airbag is still activated ⇒ page 147, “Use of child safety seats on the front

passenger seat”. Risk of severe or even fatal injuries!

Fig. 143 Releasing lock

tongue from belt lock

–

Press the red button in the belt lock ⇒ fig. 143. The spring force causes

the tongue of the lock to jump out.

Belt tensioners

Guide the belt back with your hand to enable the inertia reel to wind

up the belt webbing more easily.

Safety for the driver and passengers wearing their seat belts, is enhanced by the

belt tensioners fitted to the inertia reels of the front and rear side three-point seat

belts, in addition to the protection afforded by the airbag system.

A plastic knob in the belt webbing holds the belt tongue in a position which is easy

to get hold of.

The fastened three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a

frontal collision of a certain severity. The rear outside belt tensioners are also

deployed if the seat belt is not fastened.

Three-point safety belt for the middle rear seat

The belt tensioner is deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity. A

powder charge is ignited in the inertia reels during deployment. The belt webbing

is pulled into the inertia reels by a mechanical system and the belt is tensioned.

Your car is equipped as standard with the three-point seat belt in the middle rear

seat. It is used in the same way as the three-point seat belts on the left and right (at

front and rear). The three-point seat belt for the rear middle seat must be put on

first to allow the pelvic part of the belt to run between the belt lock for the right

three-point seat belt and the backrest, while avoiding crossing the belt webbing of

the right and middle seat belts.

Belt tensioners are not activated in the event of minor frontal collisions, side and

rear-end collisions, in the case of a rollover and also not in accidents in which no

major forces are produced from the front.

WARNING

•

The service life of seat belts and belt tensioners is 15 years from the date

of manufacture of the vehicle. It is then necessary to have the seat belts

replaced by a specialist garage.

The three-point safety belt for the rear middle seat can only fulfil its function

reliably when the backrests are correctly locked into position ⇒ page 70.

Seat belts 135

WARNING (continued)

•

Any work on the belt tightener system, including removal and installa-

tion of system components because of other repair work, must only be

carried out by a specialist garage.

•

The protective function of the system is only adequate for a single acci-

dent. If the belt tensioners have been deployed, it is then necessary to

replace the entire system.

•

The Owner's Manual must also be handed over to the new owner if the

vehicle is sold.

Note

•

Smoke is generated when the belt tensioners are deployed. This is not an indi-

cation of a fire in the vehicle.

•

It is essential to pay attention to relevant safety regulations if the vehicle or indi-

vidual parts of the system are scrapped. Škoda Service Partners are familiar with

these regulations and will be able to provide you with detailed information in this

respect.

•

When disposing of vehicle or parts of the system, it is important to comply with

the national legal requirements.

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Safety -> Seat belts for Your Skoda Superb SUV First Generation (2001-2008)

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