A child restraint system for a small child or baby must itself be
properly restrained on the seat with the LATCH anchors or the
lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt.
The laws of all 50 states of the U.S.A. and Canada now require
the use of child restraint systems.
Points to remember
Studies have shown that installing a child restraint on a rear seat is
much safer than installing one on the front passenger seat.
Types of child restraints
Child restraint systems are classified into the following 3 types
according to the age and size of the child:
Rear facing - Infant seat/convertible
seat
Forward facing - Convertible
seat
Booster seat
■Selecting an appropriate child restraint system
- Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child until the
child becomes
large enough to properly wear the vehicle's seat belt.
- If the child is too large for a child restraint system, sit the
child on a rear seat
and use the vehicle's seat belt.
| WARNING ■Child restraint precautions
- For effective protection in automobile accidents and sudden
stops, a child
must be properly restrained, using a seat belt or child
restraint system
depending on the age and size of the child. Holding a child in
your arms is
not a substitute for a child restraint system. In an accident,
the child can be
crushed against the windshield, or between you and the vehicle's
interior.
- Toyota strongly urges the use of a proper child restraint
system that conforms
to the size of the child, installed on the rear seat. According
to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained in the
rear seat
than in the front seat.
- Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on the
front passenger
seat even if the "AIR BAG OFF" indicator light is illuminated.
In the event of an accident, the force of the rapid inflation of
the front passenger
airbag can cause death or serious injury to the child if the
rear-facing
child restraint system is installed on the front passenger seat.
- A forward-facing child restraint system may be installed on
the front passenger
seat only when it is unavoidable. A child restraint system that
requires a top tether strap should not be used in the front
passenger seat
since there is no top tether strap anchor for the front
passenger seat.
Adjust the seatback as upright as possible and always move the
seat as
far back as possible even if the "AIR BAG OFF" indicator light
is illuminated,
because the front passenger airbag could inflate with
considerable
speed and force. Otherwise, the child may be killed or seriously
injured.
- Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a child
restraint system
on the front or rear passenger seat. If installing a child
restraint system
with the seat belt extender connected to the seat belt, the seat
belt will not
securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause
death or serious
injury to the child or other passengers in the event of a sudden
stop,
sudden swerve or accident.
- Do not allow the child to lean his/her head or any part of
his/her body
against the door or the area of the seat, front and rear pillars
or roof side
rails from which the SRS side airbags or SRS curtain shield
airbags deploy
even if the child is seated in the child restraint system. It is
dangerous if
the SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags inflate, and the
impact
could cause death or serious injury to the child.
- Make sure you have complied with all installation
instructions provided by
the child restraint manufacturer and that the system is properly
secured. If
it is not secured properly, it may cause death or serious injury
to the child
in the event of a sudden stop, sudden swerve or an accident.
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| WARNING ■When children are in the vehicle
Do not allow children to play with the seat belt. If the seat
belt becomes
twisted around a child's neck, it may lead to choking or other
serious injuries
that could result in death.
If this occurs and the buckle cannot be unfastened, scissors should
be used
to cut the belt.
■When the child restraint system is not in use
- Keep the child restraint system properly secured on the seat
even if it is
not in use. Do not store the child restraint system unsecured in
the passenger
compartment.
- If it is necessary to detach the child restraint system,
remove it from the
vehicle or store it securely in the trunk. This will prevent it
from injuring
passengers in the event of a sudden stop, sudden swerve or
accident.
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