2000 Mercury Cougar Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 129

Seating and safety restraints Children and safety belts Children who are too large for child safety seats (as specified by the child safety seat manufacturer) should always wear safety belts. Follow all the important safety restraints and air bag precautions that apply to adult passengers in your vehicle. If the shoulder belt portion of a combination lap and shoulder belt can be positioned so it does not cross or rest in front of the child's face or neck, the child should wear the lap and shoulder belt. To improve the fit of lap and shoulder belts on children who have outgrown child safety seats, Ford recommends use of a beltĆpositioning booster seat that is labelled as conforming to all federal motor vehicle safety standards. BeltĆpositioning booster seats raise the child and provide a shorter, firmer seating cushion that encourages safer seating posture and better fit of lap and shoulder belts on the child. A beltĆ positioning booster seat should be used if the shoulder belt rests in front of the child's face or neck, or if the lap belt does not fit snugly on both thighs, or if the thighs are too short to let the child sit all the way back on the seat cushion when the lower legs hang over the edge of the seat cushion. You may wish to discuss the special needs of your child with your pediatrician. 129