2013 Ford Escape Owner Manual Printing 4 - Page 20

Child Safety • You are required by law to properly use safety seats for infants and toddlers in the United States and Canada. Many states and provinces require that small children use approved booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall, or 80 pounds (36 kilograms). Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements about the safety of children in your vehicle. When possible, always properly restrain children twelve years of age and under in a rear seating position of your vehicle. Accident statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in a front seating position. See Front Passenger Sensing System (page 37). WARNINGS Always carefully follow the instructions and warnings provided by the manufacturer of any child restraint to determine if the restraint device is appropriate for your child's size, height, weight, or age. Follow the child restraint manufacturer's instructions and warnings provided for installation and use in conjunction with the instructions and warnings provided by your vehicle manufacturer. A safety seat that is improperly installed or utilized, is inappropriate for your child's height, age, or weight or does not properly fit the child may increase the risk of serious injury or death. Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while your vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from injury in a collision, which may result in serious injury or death. 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. Always restrain an unoccupied child seat or booster seat. These objects may become projectiles in a collision or sudden stop, which may increase the risk of serious injury. Never place, or allow a child to place, the shoulder belt under a child's arm or behind the back because it reduces the protection for the upper part of the body and may increase the risk of injury or death in a collision. To avoid risk of injury, do not leave children or pets unattended in your vehicle. • • CHILD SEAT POSITIONING WARNINGS Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. Never place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the vehicle seat upon which the child seat is installed all the way back. When possible, all children age 12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position. If all children cannot be seated and restrained properly in a rear seating position, properly restrain the largest child in the front seat. 16 Escape (TM2)