Essential Safety Equipment- Page 15

2–3

Essential Safety Equipment

Seats

  Do not place an object such as a cushion between the seatback and your back:

  Putting an object such as a cushion between the seatback and your back is dangerous 
because you will be unable to maintain a safe driving posture and the seat belt cannot 
function at its full capacity in a collision, which could result in a serious accident, injury or 
death.
  

  Do not place objects under the seat:

  The object could get stuck and cause the seat to not be fi xed securely, and result in an 
accident.
  

  Do not stack cargo higher than the seatbacks:

  Stacking luggage or other cargo higher than the seatbacks is dangerous. During sudden 
braking or a collision, objects can fl y around and become projectiles that may hit and 
injure passengers.
  

  Make sure luggage and cargo is secured before driving:

  Not securing cargo while driving is dangerous as it could move or be crushed during 
sudden braking or a collision and cause injury.
  

  Never allow a passenger to sit or stand on the folded seatback while the vehicle is 
moving:

  Driving with a passenger on the folded seatback is dangerous. Allowing a child to sit up 
on the folded seatback while the vehicle is moving is particularly dangerous. In a sudden 
stop or even a minor collision, a child not in a proper seat or child-restraint system and 
seat belt could be thrown forward, back or even out of the vehicle resulting in serious 
injuries or death. The child in the baggage area could be thrown into other occupants 
and cause serious injury.
  

  Never give the car keys to children and do not allow them to play in the vehicle (4–
Door):

  Playing with the folding rear seats is dangerous. Once the seatbacks are back up, a child 
in the trunk would not be able to get out the way they had entered. If you have small 
children, keep the seatbacks locked.
  

  Always leave your car locked and keep the car keys safely away from children (4–
Door):

  Leaving your car unlocked or the keys in reach of children is dangerous. Children who fi nd 
their way into the trunk through an unlocked rear seatback or an open trunk can become 
accidentally locked in the trunk. This could result in death or brain damage from heat 
prostration, particularly in the summer. Always lock the doors and the trunk, and as an 
added measure, keep the rear seatbacks locked, whether you have children in your home 
or not.