Child Safety
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are either unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle collisions are the number one cause of death of children ages 12 and under.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada recommend that all children ages 12 and under be properly restrained in a rear seat. Some states or provinces/territories have laws restricting where children may ride.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province and territory requires that infants and children be properly restrained when they ride in a vehicle.
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, we recommend that you do not carry a child age 12 or under as a passenger. This is for the following reasons:
- An inflating front or side airbag can injure or kill a child sitting in the passenger's seat.
- A child in the passenger's seat is more likely to interfere with the driver's ability to safely control the vehicle.
- Statistics show that children of all sizes and ages are safer when they are properly restrained in a rear seat.
- Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using either the lap belt portion of the lap/shoulder belt or the lower anchors of the LATCH system.
- Never hold a child on your or any passenger's lap because it is impossible to protect them in the event of a collision.
- Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would likely press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.
- Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be very seriously injured in a crash.
- Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows, or seat adjustments.
- Do not leave children in the vehicle unattended, especially in hot weather when the inside of the vehicle can get hot enough to kill them. They could also activate vehicle controls, causing it to move unexpectedly.
Children who are unrestrained or improperly restrained can be seriously injured or killed in a crash.
Any child too small for a seat belt should be properly restrained in a child seat. A larger child should be properly restrained with a seat belt, using a booster seat if necessary.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in this vehicle.
Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or wrap one around their neck can result in serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat belt and make sure any unused seat belt a child can reach is buckled, fully retracted, and locked.
Protecting Infants
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the infant reaches the seat manufacturer's weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant is at least one year old. Because rear-facing child seats should not be used in this vehicle, you should never carry an infant in this vehicle.
Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or death during a crash.
Never install a rear-facing child seat in this vehicle.
Protecting Smaller Children
If a child is at least one year old and within the weight range indicated by the child seat manufacturer, the child should be properly restrained in a firmly secured forward-facing child seat.
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, we recommend that you do not carry a child, age 12 or under, as a passenger. This is because placing a forward-facing child seat in the passenger's seat can be hazardous, even with advanced front airbags that automatically turn the passenger's front airbag off.
If you choose to ignore our warnings and transport a small child in this vehicle, be sure to move the passenger seat as far to the rear as possible, and follow the instructions and guidelines in the following pages.
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or death if the front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-facing child seat in front, move the vehicle seat as far back as possible, and properly restrain the child.
Selecting a Child Seat
Important consideration when selecting a child seat
Make sure the child seat meets the following three requirements:
- The child seat is the correct type and size for the child.
- The child seat is the correct type for the seating position.
- The child seat is compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
Installing a Child Seat
A child seat can be installed with a lap/shoulder belt, if absolutely necessary, in the front passenger seat.
- Move the passenger seat to the rearmost position.
- Place the child seat on the passenger seat.
- Route the seat belt through the child seat according to the seat manufacturer's instructions, and insert the latch plate into the buckle. Insert the latch plate fully until it clicks.
- Slowly pull the shoulder part of the belt all the way out until it stops. This activates the lockable retractor.
- Let the seat belt completely wind up into the retractor, then try to pull it out to make sure the retractor is locked. If you are able to pull the shoulder belt out, the lockable retractor is not activated. Pull the seat belt all the way out, and repeat steps 3-5.
- Grab the shoulder part of the seat belt near the buckle, and pull up to remove any slack from the lap part of the belt. When doing this, place your weight on the child seat and push it into the vehicle seat.
- Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by rocking it forward and back and side to side; less than one inch of movement should occur near the seat belt.
To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
Adding Security with a Tether
A tether anchorage point is provided behind the passenger seat. A child seat with a tether can be installed, so long as the base of the child seat is secured using a seat belt.
Using a tether anchor
- Move the seat forward.
- Route the tether strap through the hole between the head restraint and the seat-back. Make sure the strap is not twisted.
- Secure the tether strap hook onto the anchor.
- Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the child seat manufacturer.
- Move the seat to the rearmost position.
Protecting Larger Children
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, we recommend that you do not carry a child age 12 or under as a passenger. This is because children who have outgrown child seats are also at risk of being injured or killed by an inflating passenger's front airbag. If a larger child must ride in this vehicle, the information below provides guidelines to help you decide when a given child may ride in this vehicle, and how to properly protect the child.
When a child is too big for a child seat, secure the child in the passenger's seat using the lap/shoulder seat belt.
Have the child sit upright and all the way back, then ensure the following:
- The child's knees bend comfortably over the edge of the seat.
- The shoulder belt crosses between the child's neck and arm.
- The lap part of the seat belt is as low as possible, touching the child's thighs.
- The child can stay seated for the whole trip.
If a lap/shoulder belt cannot be used properly, position the child in a booster seat in the passenger's position. For the child's safety, check that the child meets the booster seat manufacturer's recommendations.
Some U.S. states and Canadian provinces/territories require children to use a booster seat until they reach a given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or 60 lbs). Be sure to check current laws in the state or province/territory where you intend to drive.
Allowing a child age 12 or under to sit in the vehicle can result in injury or death if the passenger's front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ride in front, move the vehicle seat as far to the rear as possible, then have the child sit up properly and wear the seat belt properly, using a booster seat if needed.
- Airbags
- Safety Label Locations
- Reporting Safety Defects
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