2005 Dodge Dakota Owner Manual - Page 59

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59 • Airbag deployment level (if applicable) • Seatbelt status • Brake status (service and parking brakes) • Accelerator status (including vehicle speed) • Engine control status (including engine speed) • Cruise control status • Traction/stability control status Child Restraint Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the time - babies and children, too. Every state in the United States and all Canadian provinces require that small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it. Children 12 years and under should ride properly buckled up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seats rather than in the front. There are different sizes and types of restraints for children from newborn size to the child almost large enough for an adult seat belt. Always check the child seat owner's manual to ensure you have the right seat for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your child: Infants and Small Children • Safety experts recommend that children ride rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are at least one year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg). Two types of child restraints can be used rearward facing: infant carriers and ЉconvertibleЉ child seats. 2