2008 Mercedes C-Class Owner's Manual - Page 55

Safety and Security Occupant safety Installation of infant and child restraint systems Warning! Warning! G Infants and small children should never share a seat belt with another occupant. During an accident, they could be crushed between the occupant and seat belt. A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is significantly increased if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle and/or the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Children too big for a toddler restraint must ride in seats using regular seat belts. Position shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat may be necessary to achieve proper seat belt positioning for children over 41 lbs until they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a booster. When the child restraint is not in use, remove it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat belt to prevent the child restraint from becoming a projectile in the event of an accident. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, even if the children are secured in a child restraint system. Unsupervised children in a child restraint system may use vehicle equipment and may cause an accident and/or serious personal injury. G Always lock backrest in its upright position when rear seat bench is occupied by passengers, before installing top tether straps, or the extended cargo compartment is not in use. Check for secure locking by pushing and pulling on the backrest. If the seat backrest is not properly locked, the seat backrest could fold. The child seat would no longer be properly supported or positioned to provide its intended benefit. That could cause serious or even fatal injuries. This vehicle is equipped with tether anchorages for a top tether strap at each of the rear seating positions. Top tether straps enable an additional connection to be made between child restraint systems secured with LATCH-type anchors and rear seats. This can further reduce the risk of injury. 54