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Additional seat belt safety
precautions
Seat belt use during pregnancy
The seat belt should always be used
during pregnancy. The best way to
protect your unborn child is to protect
yourself by always wearing the seat belt.
Pregnant women should always wear a
lap-shoulder seat belt. Place the shoulder
belt across your chest, routed between
your breasts and away from your neck.
Place the lap belt below your belly and
pull the shoulder portion so that it fits
SNUGLY across your hips and pelvic
bone, under the rounded part of your
belly.
• Pregnant women and patients are more
vulnerable to any impacts on the
abdomen during an abrupt stop or
accident. If you are in an accident while
pregnant, consult your doctor.
• To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death to an unborn child during an
accident, pregnant women should
NEVER place the lap portion of the seat
belt above or over the area of the
abdomen where the unborn child is
located.
Seat belt use and children
Infant and small children
All 50 states have Child Restraint System
laws which require children to travel in
approved Child Restraint System devices,
including booster seats. The age at which
seat belts can be used instead of Child
Restraint System differs among states, so
you should be aware of the specific
requirements in your state, and where
you are travelling. Infant and Child
Restraint System must be properly placed
and installed in a rear seat.
For more information, refer to the "Seat
belt safety precautions" section in this
chapter.
ALWAYS properly restrain infants and
small children in a Child Restraint System
appropriate for the child's height and
weight.
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death to a child and other passengers,
NEVER hold a child in your lap or arms
when the vehicle is moving. The violent
forces created during an accident will tear
the child from your arms and throw the
child against the interior of the vehicle.
Small children are best protected from
injury in an accident when properly
restrained in the rear seat by a Child
Restraint System that meets the
requirements of the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards. Before buying
any Child Restraint System, make sure
that it has a label certifying that it meets
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
FMVSS 213.
The Child Restraint System must be
appropriate for your child's height and
weight. Check the label on the Child
Restraint System for this information.
Refer to the "Child Restraint System
(CRS)" section in this chapter.
0_IK_PE_en_US.book Page 25
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