2007 Dodge Dakota Owner Manual - Page 61

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61 use a locking clip. If the seat belt has a cinching latch plate, pulling up on the shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder belt will tighten the belt. The cinching latch plate will keep the belt tight, however, any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the belt occasionally and pull it tight if necessary. • Buckle the child into the restraint exactly as the manufacturer's instructions tell you. • When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs and cause serious personal injury. LATCH - Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren) Each vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchorage system called LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system provides for the installation of the child restraint without using the vehicle's seat belts, instead securing the child restraint using lower anchorages and upper tether straps from the child restraint to the vehicle structure. LATCHcompatible child restraint systems are now available. However, because the lower anchorages are to be introduced over a period of years, child restraint systems having attachments for those anchorages will continue to also have features for installation using the vehicle's seat belts. Child restraints having tether straps and hooks for connection to the top tether anchorages have been available for some time. For some older child restraints, many child restraint manufacturers offer add-on tether strap kits or retro-fit kits. You are urged to take advantage of all the available attachments provided with your child restraint in any vehicle. 2