2020 Honda Accord Owners Manual - Seat Belts

Seat Belts

About Your Seat Belts

Seat belts are the single most effective safety device because they keep you connected to the vehicle so that you can take advantage of many built-in safety features. They also help keep you from being thrown against the inside of the vehicle, against any passengers, or out of the vehicle. When worn properly, seat belts also keep your body properly positioned in a crash so that you can take full advantage of the additional protection provided by the airbags.

In addition, seat belts help protect you in almost every type of crash, including:

frontal impacts

side impacts

rear impacts

rollovers

Lap/shoulder seat belts

All five seating positions are equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts with emergency locking retractors. In normal driving the retractor lets you move freely while keeping some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop the retractor locks to restrain your body.

The front passenger’s and rear seat belts also have a lockable retractor for use with child seats.

2 Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt P. 69

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uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts

Proper use of seat belts

Follow these guidelines for proper use:

All occupants should sit upright, well back in the seat, and remain in that position for the duration of the trip. Slouching and leaning reduce the effectiveness of the belt and can increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.

Never place the shoulder part of a lap/shoulder seat belt under your arm or behind your back. This could cause very serious injuries in a crash.

Two people should never use the same seat belt. If they do, they could be very seriously injured in a crash.

Do not put any accessories on the seat belts. Devices intended to improve comfort or reposition the shoulder part of a seat belt can reduce the protective capability and increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.

Seat Belt Reminder

The seat belt system includes an indicator on the instrument panel to remind the driver or a front passenger or both to fasten their seat belts.

If you set the power mode to ON and a seat belt is not fastened, a beeper will sound and the indicator will blink. After a few seconds, the beeper will stop and the indicator will come on and remain illuminated until the seat belt is fastened.

The beeper will periodically sound and the indicator will blink while the vehicle is moving until the seat belt is fastened.

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uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts

Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners

The front seats are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners to enhance safety.

The tensioners automatically tighten the front seat belts during a moderate-to- severe frontal collision, sometimes even if the collision is not severe enough to inflate the front airbags or the knee airbags.

uuSeat Belts uFastening a Seat Belt

After adjusting a front seat to the proper position, and while sitting upright and well back in the seat:

2 Adjusting the Seats P. 211

Pull the seat belt out slowly.

Insert the latch plate into the buckle, then tug on the belt to make sure the buckle is secure.

u Make sure that the belt is not twisted or caught on anything.

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uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt

Position the lap part of the belt as low as possible across your hips, then pull up on the shoulder part of the belt so the lap part fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic bones take the force of a crash and reduces the chance of internal injuries.

If necessary, pull up on the belt again to remove any slack, then check that the belt rests across the center of your chest and over your shoulder. This spreads the forces of a crash over the strongest bones in your upper body.

Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor The front seats have adjustable shoulder anchors to accommodate taller and shorter occupants.

Move the anchor up and down while holding the release button.

Position the anchor so that the belt rests across the center of your chest and over your shoulder.

uuSeat Belts uFastening a Seat Belt

Advice for Pregnant Women If you are pregnant, the best way to protect yourself and your unborn child when driving or riding in a vehicle is to always wear a seat belt and keep the lap part of the

belt as low as possible across the hips.

uuSeat BeltsuSeat Belt Inspection

Regularly check the condition of your seat belts as follows:

Pull each belt out fully, and look for frays, cuts, burns, and wear.

Check that the latch plates and buckles work smoothly and the belts retract easily.

u If a belt does not retract easily, cleaning the belt may correct the problem. Only use a mild soap and warm water. Do not use bleach or cleaning solvents. Make sure the belt is completely dry before allowing it to retract.

Any belt that is not in good condition or working properly will not provide proper protection and should be replaced as soon as possible.

A belt that has been worn during a crash may not provide the same level of protection in a subsequent crash. Have your seat belts inspected by a dealer after any collision.