2008 Mercury Sable Owner's Manual - Page 182

Seating and Safety Restraints Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child. They can slide around and increase the likelihood of injury or death in a collision. SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN Child and infant or child safety seats Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the child. Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden stop or collision. When installing a child safety seat: • Review and follow the information presented in the Airbag Supplemental Restraint System section in this chapter. • Use the correct safety belt buckle for that seating position. • Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened in the buckle. • Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the safety seat, with the tongue between the child seat and the release button, to prevent accidental unbuckling. • Place seat back in upright position. • Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer to Automatic locking mode. • LATCH lower anchors are recommended for use by children up to 48 lb (22 kg) in a child restraint. Top tether anchors can be used for children up to 60 lb (27 kg) in a child restraint, and to provide upper torso restraint for children up to 80 lb (36 kg) using an upper torso harness and a belt-positioning booster. Ford Motor Company recommends the use of a child safety seat having a top tether strap. Install the child safety seat in a seating position with LATCH and tether anchors. For more information on top tether straps 182 2008 Sable (mgo) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA (fus)