1998 Honda Civic Owner's Manual - Page 12

Protecting Adults Introduction The following pages provide instructions on how to properly protect the driver and other adult occupants. These instructions also apply to children who have outgrown child seats and are large enough to wear lap/shoulder belts. (See page 35 for important additional guidelines on how to properly protect larger children.) 1 .Close and Lock the Doors After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure the doors are closed and locked. For safety, locking the doors reduces the chance of a passenger, especially a child, opening a door while the vehicle is moving and accidentally falling out. It also reduces the chance of someone being thrown out of the vehicle during a crash. Driver and Passenger Safety For security, locked doors can prevent an outsider from unexpectedly opening a door when you come to a stop. See page 68 for how to lock the doors. 2.Adjust the Front Seats Any driver who sits too close to the steering wheel is at risk of being seriously injured or killed by striking the steering wheel or being struck by an inflating airbag during a crash. To reduce the chance of injury, wear your seat belt properly, sit upright with your back against the seat, and move the seat as far back as possible from the steering wheel while still maintaining full control of the car. Also make sure your front seat passenger moves their seat as far to the rear as possible.