Essential Safety Equipment; Seat Belt Systems- Page 24

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Essential Safety Equipment

Seat Belt Systems

     Seat  Belt  Precautions

    Seat belts help to decrease the possibility of severe injury during accidents and sudden 
stops. Mazda recommends that the driver and all passengers always wear seat belts.

(U.S.A. and Canada)

  All of the seat belt retractors are designed to keep the lap/shoulder belts out of the way when 
not in use.

  The driver's seat belt has no provisions for child-restraint systems and has only an 
emergency locking mode. The driver may wear it comfortably, and it will lock during a 
collision.

  However, the front passenger's seat and all rear lap/shoulder belt retractors operate in 
two modes: emergency locking mode, and for child-restraint systems, automatic locking 
mode. While we recommend you put all children in the rear seats, if you must use the front 
passenger seat for a child, slide the front passenger seat as far back as possible and make 
sure any child-restraint system is secured properly.

(Mexico)

  The front seats and rear outboard seats have lap/shoulder belts. These belts have retractors 
with inertia locks that keep them out of the way when not in use. The locks allow the belts 
to remain comfortable on users, but they will lock in position during a collision.
  The rear center seat has a lap belt with manual adjustment.

WARNING

  Always wear your seat belt and make sure all occupants are properly restrained:

  Not wearing a seat belt is extremely dangerous. During a collision, occupants not 
wearing seat belts could hit someone or things inside the vehicle or even be thrown out of 
the vehicle. They could be seriously injured or even killed. In the same collision, occupants 
wearing seat belts would be much safer.
  

  Do not wear twisted seat belts:

  Twisted seat belts are dangerous. In a collision, the full width of the belt is not available to 
absorb the impact. This puts more force on the bones beneath the belt, which could cause 
serious injury or death. So, if your seat belt is twisted, you must straighten the seat belt to 
remove any twists and to allow the full width of the belt to be used.
  

  Never use one seat belt on more than one person at a time:

  Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt used 
in this way cannot spread the impact forces properly and the two passengers could 
be crushed together and seriously injured or even killed. Never use one belt for more 
than one person at a time and always operate the vehicle with each occupant properly 
restrained.