80 Seating and Safety Restraints
Seat Belts For Children
Seat belts are not for adults only. Infants, toddlers, and chil-
dren smaller than adults need to be properly secured in a seat
to ensure their safety. Every U.S. state and Canadian province
requires the use of a seat belt, or child and infant restraint, for
all children. Always follow all safety instructions when secur-
ing children in the vehicle.
NEVER leave children unattended in the vehicle.
REASON: Children could play with vehicle controls,
which could result in serious bodily injury or death.
Infants and Toddlers
ALWAYS SECURE infants and toddlers in an infant or child
restraint.
ALWAYS use proper infant AND child restraints in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
The restraint MUST be appropriate for the size of the child.
REASON: An infant or child restraint is absolutely
necessary for the safety of your child. Without the aid of an
infant or child restraint, the seat belts in your vehicle will not
safely protect your child during a collision or sudden stops.
The lap belt portion of the vehicle seat belt will not fit as low
as possible across a small child’s hips. Instead, the lap belt
will likely be over the child’s abdomen. During an accident,
the child could be seriously or fatally injured. Also, the
shoulder harness strap will likely cross in front of the child’s
face and neck. A sudden stop or collision may cause serious
face and neck injuries.
NEVER allow ANY passenger to hold an infant or child on
the passenger’s lap while the vehicle is moving.
ALWAYS use an appropriate infant or child restraint.
REASON: The passenger will not be able to protect an
infant or child from injury during an accident, or sudden
stops. The force needed to hold even an infant is too great
during a collision, even for an adult.
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