Essential Safety Equipment; Child Restraint; Child Restraint Precautions- Page 24

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Essential Safety Equipment

Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F

Child Restraint

Mazda strongly urges the use of child-restraint systems for children small enough to use them.

You are required by law to use a child-restraint system for children in the U.S. and Canada.
Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements regarding the safety 
of children riding in your vehicle.

Whatever child-restraint system you consider, please pick the appropriate one for the age 
and size of the child, obey the law and follow the instructions that come with the individual 
child-restraint system.

A child who has outgrown child-restraint systems should sit in the rear and use seat belts, both 
lap and shoulder. If the shoulder belt crosses the neck or face, move the child closer to the center.

Statistics confirm that the rear seat is the best place for all children up to 12 years of age-
the more so with a supplemental restraint system (air bags).

A rear-facing child-restraint system should 

NEVER

 be used in the front seat because it 

would be too close to the air bag. The front passenger’s seat is also the least preferred seat 
for other child-restraint systems.

Child Restraint Precautions

Proper Size of Child-Restraint System:
For effective protection in vehicle accidents and sudden stops, a child must be 
properly restrained using a seat belt or child-restraint system depending on age and 
size. If not, the child could be seriously injured or even killed in an accident.

Follow the Manufacturer's Instructions and Always Keep the Child-Restraint System 
Buckled Down:
An unsecured child-restraint system is dangerous. In a sudden stop or a collision it 
could move causing serious injury or death to the child or other occupants. Make sure 
the child-restraint system is properly secured in place according to the child-restraint 
system manufacturer’s instructions. When not in use, remove it from the vehicle or 
fasten it with a seat belt.

Holding a Child While the Vehicle is Moving:
Holding a child in your arms while the vehicle is moving is extremely dangerous. No 
matter how strong the person may be, he or she cannot hold onto a child in a sudden 
stop or collision and it could result in serious injury or death to the child or other 
occupants. Even in a moderate accident, the child may be exposed to air bag forces that 
could result in serious injury or death to the child, or the child may be slammed into 
the adult, injuring the adult. Always secure a child in a proper child-restraint system.

WARNING

J76Y.book  Page 16  Wednesday, March 27, 2002  5:04 PM