Seating and Safety Restraints 81
NEVER position a shoulder harness strap so that it crosses
in FRONT of a child’s face OR neck.
REASON: A sudden stop or collision may cause serious
face and neck injuries. The belt should go over the shoulder
and across the chest. A booster seat should be used, if
necessary, to ensure that the belt is positioned properly.
NEVER allow a child to wear the safety belt with the belt
behind their backs.
REASON: A child can be seriously injured by not wearing
the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a collision, a child would not
be restrained by the shoulder belt, and could move too far
forward during impact, which could increase the chance of a
head and neck injury. The child might also slide under the lap
belt. The belt force would then be applied right to the
abdomen, causing serious bodily injury or death.
ALWAYS SECURE the infant or child restraint in the vehicle
seat even if a child is NOT in it.
REASON: A loose child restraint can become a
dangerous projectile during a sudden stop or collision, and
could cause serious personal injury.
ALWAYS remove ALL slack from seat belts.
REASON: Seat belts will only lock during sudden stops
or impacts. During a sudden stop or impact, the restraint will
move too far forward, increasing the chance for head and
neck injuries.
ALWAYS SECURE children with seat belts when in the vehicle.
REASON: Children who are not buckled up can be
seriously or fatally injured in an accident, and can collide with
other occupants in the vehicle.
Larger Children
A child too large to fit in a child restraint should always use
the vehicle’s seat belts, and a booster seat, if necessary. Statis-
tics reveal that a child restrained in a rear seat is safer than a
child restrained in a front seat. Refer to “Wearing Seat Belts
Properly” on page 77 for important rules that must be fol-
lowed in order to obtain maximum seat belt performance.
Never use a seat belt equipped with a seat belt extender to
fasten a child safety seat.
REASON: A seat belt extender cannot adequately
secure a child safety seat in the case of a collision. The child
will not be properly restrained.
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