2008 BMW Z4 M Series Owner's Manual - Page 38

Transporting children safely Transporting children safely The right place for children Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, otherwise they could endanger themselves and/or other persons by opening the doors, for example.< seat-belted at all times. Always position the passenger seat as far back as possible and at the lowest level. The above warning and recommendations are compatible with regulations established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, permitting the deactivation of passenger airbags by means of an on-off switch for members of certain at-risk groups. Specifically, the at-risk groups are: > Infants in rear-facing infant seats > Persons with certain medical conditions > Children aged 12 and under in the passenger seat. NHTSA provides this information via their website, www.nhtsa.dot.gov, or via their Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 or 366-0123 in Washington, D.C. area.< Children on the passenger seat Children under 13 years of age or under 5 ft/150 cm in height may only be transported in child-restraint systems suitable for their age, weight and size and if the passenger airbags are deactivated. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident or should the airbags deploy.< Children 13 years of age or older must be buckled in with a safety belt as soon as there no longer is any child-restraint system that is appropriate for their age, weight and size. For a child, not an infant, certain precautions should be taken. Position the passenger seat as far back as possible and at the lowest level. This important precaution is intended to maximize the distance between the airbags and the child. Key switch for passenger airbags Deactivating/reactivating passenger airbags The passenger airbags must be deactivated before using a rear-facing childrestraint system on the passenger seat, refer also to page 37 for explanation. BMW also recommends that the passenger airbags be deactivated if a child is transported in a front-facing child-restraint system, regardless of the age of the child. If you transport a child in the passenger seat, not an infant in a rear-facing seat, who is properly seated and seat-belted at all times, the potential benefits of airbags deploying in an accident generally outweigh the risks of the child being injured by the force of a deploying airbag. Therefore, you should deactivate the passenger airbags only if you find it difficult to ensure that the child will remain properly seated and 36 Online Edition for Part no. 01 41 0 014 500 - © 08/07 BMW AG The front, side and knee airbags for the passenger can be deactivated and reactivated using a key switch. It is located on the passenger side on the side of the dashboard. The passenger airbags can only be deactivated and reactivated while the vehicle is at a standstill and the passenger door is open.