2004 Honda Civic Owner's Manual - Page 36

Protecting Children Additional Safety Precautions Never hold an infant or child on your lap. If you are not wearing a seat belt in crash, you could be thrown forward and crush the child against the dashboard or a seat-back. If you are wearing a seat belt the child can be torn from your arms and be seriously hurt or killed. Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt could press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries. Never let two children use the same seat belt. If they do, they could be very seriously injured in a crash. Use childproof door locks to prevent children from opening the doors. This can prevent children from accidentally falling out. Do not leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving children without adult supervision is illegal in most states and Canadian provinces, and can be very hazardous. For example, infants and small children left in a vehicle on a hot day can die from heatstroke. A child left alone with the key in the ignition can accidentally set the vehicle in motion, possibly injuring themselves or others. Lock both doors and the trunk when your vehicle is not in use. Children who play in vehicles can accidentally get trapped inside the trunk. Teach your children not to play in or around vehicles. Know how to operate the emergency trunk opener and decide if your children should be shown how to use this feature (see page 73 ). General Guidelines Keep vehicle keys and remote transmitters out of the reach of children. Even very young children learn how to unlock vehicle doors, turn on the ignition, and open the trunk, which can lead to accidental injury or death. Driver and Passenger Safety 33