2008 Mercedes R-Class Owner's Manual - Page 74

Safety and Security Occupant safety Always sit as upright as possible, properly use the seat belts and use an appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat recommended for the size and weight of the child. Failure to follow these instructions can result in severe injuries to you or other occupants. If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you make the buyer aware of this safety information. Be sure to give the buyer this Operator's Manual. Warning! G i Air bags are designed to deploy only in certain frontal impacts (front air bags), side impacts (side impact and window curtain air bags) which exceed preset thresholds, and in certain rollovers (window curtain air bags). Only during these events will they provide their supplemental protection. The driver and passengers should always wear their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for air bags to provide their supplemental protection. In case of other types of impacts and impacts below air bag deployment thresholds, air bags will not deploy. The driver and passenger will then be protected to the extent possible by a properly fastened seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt is also needed to provide the best possible protection in a rollover. We caution you not to rely on the presence of the air bags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt. It is important to your safety and that of your passengers that you replace deployed air bags and repair any malfunctioning air bags to make sure the vehicle will continue to provide supplemental crash protection for occupants. Accident research shows that the safest place for children in an automobile is in the rear seat. It should be noted that with respect to both, front side impact air bags or the rear side impact air bags*, there is a possibility for a side impact air bag related injury if occupants, especially children, are not properly seated or restrained when next to a side impact air bag which needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in order to do its job. To help avoid the possibility of injury, please follow these guidelines: (1) Always sit as upright as possible, properly use the seat belts and for children 12 years old and under, use an appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat recommended for the size and weight of the child. (2) Always wear seat belts properly. 73