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200 SAFETY
Children Too Large For Booster Seats Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend over the front of the seat when their back is against the seatback, should use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple 5-step test to decide whether the child can use the vehicle’s seat belt alone: back of the vehicle seat? 2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat while the child is still sitting all the way back? 3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm? 4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and not the stomach? 5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip? If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” then the child still needs to use a booster seat in this vehicle. If the child is using the lap/shoulder belt, check seat belt fit periodically and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched. A child’s squirming or slouching can move the belt out of position. If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the child closer to the center of the vehicle, or use a booster seat to position the seat belt on the child correctly. WARNING! Improper installation can lead to failure of an infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a collision. The child could be badly injured or killed. Follow the child restraint manufac - turer’s directions exactly when installing an infant or child restraint. After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward because it can loosen the child restraint attachments. Remove the child restraint before adjusting the vehicle seat position. When the vehicle seat has been adjusted, reinstall the child restraint. When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchorages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it could strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause serious personal injury. WARNING! Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind their back. In a crash, the shoulder belt will not protect a child properly, which may result in serious injury or death. A child must always wear both the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt correctly. |