Get Transporting children safely -> Child restraints ? overview Guide for Volkswagen Atlas SUV First Generation (2018-2023)

Transporting children safely

Introduction

The physical principles in the event of an accident also apply to children. However, due to their size and other factors, they face a greater risk of injury.

Children and babies must therefore always be transported in child restraint systems that are designed for their age, size, weight and body structure. In the USA and

Canada, the use of tested and certiﬁed child restraint systems is required by law.

In the case of head-on collisions at speeds of between 30 and 55 km/h (approx. 20–35 mph), a small child weighing 6 kg (13 lbs) will be subjected to forces of more

than 20 times their body weight. This means that the child's effective weight will suddenly increase to up to 120 kg (260 lbs). Under such conditions, only a child

restraint used in accordance with regulations can reduce the risk of injury. However, a child restraint which is not used in accordance with regulations may further

increase the risk of injury!

All children (particularly children under 12 years of age) should always be transported on the rear seats in appropriate child restraint systems. However, if you must

use a child restraint on the front passenger seat in exceptional circumstances, always follow all the information and warnings available at ⇒

Introduction.

You can ﬁnd more information on this subject at:

National Highway Trafﬁc Safety Administration (NHTSA):

Transport Canada Information Centre:

Read and follow the instructions from the child seat manufacturer to ensure that the seat is appropriate for your child. Also be sure to read and follow all the

information and warnings on child restraint systems in this manual!

WARNING

In the event of an accident, people sitting on the front passenger seat (particularly children and small children) may suffer severe or fatal injuries if there is not

sufﬁcient distance between them and the airbag, if it is deployed (even with the Advanced Airbag System)!

The safest place for children is on the rear seats.

A suitable child restraint that is installed on the rear seat in accordance with regulations provides the highest level of protection for children and small

children in most accidents.

Even though the Advanced Airbag System is designed to detect child restraint systems on the front passenger seat and to switch off the front passenger's

front airbag, it is not possible to guarantee that the system will perform correctly under all circumstances and over the vehicle's service life.

In compliance with the “low risk” option for children of 3–6 years of age according to the U.S. Federal Standard, the Advanced Airbag System may be

deployed if the electrical capacity of a typical one-year-old child combined with a child restraint system on the front passenger seat is exceeded and the

criteria for deployment of the Advanced Airbag System are met.

WARNING

Accident statistics have shown that the rear seats offer greater safety than the front seats for children in general.

Always transport children under 12 years of age on the rear seats.

A child who is not secured or is not secured properly can be injured through sliding around in the vehicle interior or through being ejected from the vehicle

during a sudden maneuver or collision. Secure children in the vehicle with a child restraint that is appropriate for their weight and height and with the

safety belt used correctly ⇒ Transporting children safely.

A child who is not secured or not properly secured is exposed to an increased risk of injury or death through collision with an airbag. Make sure that

children are not within the deployment zone of the airbag.

A child restraint system corresponding to body weight and body size that is installed and used on the rear seats offers maximum protection for infants and

small children in most accident situations.

Child restraints – overview

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice ⇒

Introduction.

All children (particularly small children and infants) must be transported in child restraints suitable for them. These child restraints must always be installed correctly

The information in the following table will help you to ﬁnd the suitable child restraint for your child.

Child restraint type

Use

Birth–12 months old: A child of up to 12 months of age must always be transported in a rear-facing

child restraint. There are different types of these:

Rear-facing child restraint

– Rear-facing child restraints for infants only.

– Convertible and multi-purpose child restraints with greater weight and size restrictions for transporting

your child in the rear-facing position for longer periods of time.

Child restraint type

Use

1 – 3 years old: Transport your child in a rear-facing child restraint for as long as possible until they

have reached the weight and size restrictions. After your child has reached the weight and size

restrictions, you can transport them in a forward-facing child restraint with the appropriate safety belts.

Rear-facing child restraint before transitioning to the

forward-facing child restraint

4 – 7 years old: Transport your child in a forward-facing child restraint for as long as possible until they

have reached the weight and size restrictions. After your child has reached the weight and size

restrictions, you can transport them in a booster seat but only on the rear seats.

Forward facing child restraints

Booster seat

7 – 12 years old: Transport your child using a booster seat until they have grown enough to sit on the

seats with a safety belt without a booster seat. The safety belt must be routed correctly ⇒ Safety belt

positioning. You should continue to transport your child on the rear seats.

Child restraints can be fastened either with a three-point safety belt or with an ISOFIX/lower LATCH fastening system. Many child restraints also require the use of

top tether systems. Depending on countries and federal states, the use of Top Tether may even be required by law.

How to determine whether a child restraint is installed correctly

The child restraint lies ﬂush against the seat cushion and the backrest unless the child restraint manufacturer allows a gap between the seat and child restraint

The overhang of the child restraint on the seat cushion is not longer than 20% of the child restraint. Always follow the instructions for the permitted child

restraint overhangs.

You should always position the child restraint centrally on the seat.

The clearance of the child restraint forward and sideways is no greater than approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch).

The child restraint must not rest on the belt buckles of the seats. These could be damaged as a result.

When installing multiple child restraints, they must not block each other and must be free-standing and remain accessible.

The child restraint has been secured correctly using the three-point safety belt or ISOFIX/lower LATCH anchorage point. The top tether system of the child

restraint has also been used correctly as speciﬁed by the manufacturer.

DANGER

Not using the child restraint, using it incorrectly or using the wrong child restraint increases the risk of severe or fatal injuries in the event of a collision or an

accident.

Children sitting on the front seats may suffer severe or fatal injuries in the event of airbag deployment (even if advanced airbags are used).

Children in a rear-facing child restraint on the front passenger seat may suffer severe or fatal injuries in the event of airbag deployment.

Always install child restraints on the rear seats.

If, in exceptional circumstances, you nevertheless install a child restraint on the front passenger seat and the yellow

PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator light does not come on and stay on, remove the seat immediately and have the airbag system checked by an

authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or

authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

WARNING

If the airbag is deployed, a child restraint on the front passenger seat may collide with the airbag and the child in the child restraint may suffer severe or even

fatal injuries (even if advanced airbags are used). If, in exceptional circumstances, you nevertheless install a child restraint on the front passenger seat, observe

the following points:

Forward-facing child restraints may be situated in the deployment zone of a front passenger's front airbag and may result in severe or fatal injuries if the

airbag is deployed. Always ensure that the child restraint in use has been approved by the manufacturer for use on the front passenger seat.

Read and always follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions.

Never install a child restraint without a top tether safety belt if this is required by the manufacturer or by law.

Never position a forward-facing child restraint directly on the instrument panel.

Adjust the seat belt adjuster so that the seat can be installed correctly.

Position the front passenger seat as high as possible and move it as far back as possible in order to obtain the largest possible distance to the instrument

panel.

Make sure that the upper anchorage of the safety belt is behind the child restraint to ensure that the safety belt is routed correctly.

Make sue that the backrest is in the upright position.

WARNING

Any unused safety belts on the rear seats are a danger to your child when transported in a child restraint on the rear seats. By playing with the safety belts, the

child may get tangled up and this could result in severe or fatal injuries.

Always secure unused safety belts to the rear seat. You can do this by putting them around the head restraints which are furthest away from the installed

child restraint and secure the safety belt.

NOTICE

Make sure not to activate the lockable belt system when you secure the safety belts that are not being used.

Make sure that the belt is not damaged when installing the child restraint with the safety belt, particularly if you are using the lockable belt system.

Safety notes on using child restraints

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice ⇒

Introduction.

Fig. 38 Never allow children or infants to travel on your lap.

The correct use of child restraints signiﬁcantly reduces the risk of injury in the event of an accident or collision!

All children, in particular children under the age of 12, must always travel in suitable child restraints on the rear seat.

Only use child restraints that are suitable for the height and weight of the child.

ISOFIX/lower LATCH anchorage points can be used to secure child restraints on the seats without using the vehicle's safety belts. If you do want to install a child

restraint using the safety belts instead of ISOFIX/lower LATCH anchorage points, please follow all instructions given by the child restraint manufacturer for guiding

the belt around the child restraint and securing the child in the child restraint. Ensure that the child restraint cannot move forward or sideways by more than 2.5 cm

(1 inch) after installation.

When installing a child restraint with the safety belt, you must activate the lockable belt system.

Never activate the lockable belt system when installing a booster seat or if a child is traveling without a child restraint.

Once the child restraint is correctly installed, the settings for that seat must no longer be changed. If the seat settings have been changed, the installation of the

child restraint must be checked and, if necessary, adjusted.

If a child restraint is installed on a seat, functions such as the massage function or seat heating ⇒ Seat heating and seat ventilation must not be used on that seat

Important additional information for installing child restraints on the front passenger seat

If, under exceptional circumstances, you need to install a child restraint on the front passenger seat, read and follow all warnings and instructions here

⇒

Introduction.

You can ﬁnd additional information on the selection and use of child restraints here:

Transport Canada Information CentreTel.: 1-800-333-0371Tel.: 1-613-998-8616 (Ottawa)

National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationTel.: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153)

National SAFE KIDS CampaignTel.: 1-202-662-0600

SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.Tel.: 1-800-745-SAFE or 1-800-745-7233 (English)Tel.: 1-800-747-SANO or 1-800-747-7266 (Spanish)

Volkswagen Customer CARETel.: 1-800-822-8987

DANGER