2008 Mercedes C-Class Owner's Manual - Page 49

Safety and Security Occupant safety Enhanced seat belt reminder system When the engine is started, the seat belt telltale < will always illuminate for 6 seconds to remind you and your passengers to fasten your seat belts. If the driver's seat belt is not fastened when the engine is started, an additional warning chime will also sound for a maximum of 6 seconds or until the driver' s seat belt is fastened. If after these 6 seconds the driver's or the front passenger's seat belt (with the front passenger seat occupied) is not fastened with front doors closed, the seat belt telltale < remains illuminated for as long as either the driver's or front passenger's seat belt is not fastened. and if the vehicle speed once exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt telltale < starts flashing and a warning chime sounds with increasing impacts which exceed preset deployment thresholds and in certain rollovers (window curtain air bags and ETD). Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm, against your neck or off your shoulder. In a frontal crash, your body would move too far forward. That would increase the chance of head and neck injuries. The seat belt would also apply too much force to the ribs or abdomen, which could severely injure internal organs such as your liver or spleen. Never wear seat belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these might cause injuries. Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips and not across the abdomen. If the seat belt is positioned across your abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in a crash. Never use a seat belt for more than one person at time. Do not fasten a seat belt around a person and another person or other objects. Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In a crash, you wouldn't have the full width of the seat belt to distribute impact forces. The twisted seat belt against your body could cause injuries. Pregnant women should also always use a lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion should be positioned as low as possible on the hips to avoid any possible pressure on the abdomen. Never place your feet on the instrument panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat. When using a seat belt to secure infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat, always follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions. 48