2003 Mazda Protege5 Owner's Manual - Page 35

J39L_EA.book Page 24 Saturday, June 8, 2002 5:35 PM Essential Safety Equipment Child Restraint WARNING Children and Seating Position with Side Air Bag: Allowing anyone to lean over or against the front door is dangerous. If the vehicle is equipped with side air bags, the impact of an inflating side air bag could cause serious injury or death to the person. Children are more likely to sleep in the vehicle; when they do, they are more at risk in the front passenger's seat that has a side air bag because they may slump over into the path of the seatback-mounted air bag. Furthermore, leaning over or against the doors could block the side air bag and eliminate the advantages of supplemental protection. With the front air bag and the additional side air bag that comes out of the front seat, the rear seat is always a better location for children who are prone to sleeping. If a child can't be seated in the rear, do not allow the child to lean over or against the front door, even if the child is seated in a child-restraint system. One Belt, One Passenger: Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt used in this way can't 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. CAUTION A seat belt or child-restraint system can become very hot in a closed vehicle during warm weather. To avoid burning yourself or a child, check them before you or your child touches them. NOTE Your Mazda is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for attachment of specially designed LATCH child-restraint systems in the rear seats. When using these anchors to secure a child-restraint system, refer to "LATCH Child-Restraint Systems" (page 2-31). 2-24 Form No. 8Q94-EA-02G