2013 Nissan Leaf Owner's Manual - Page 104

CHILD SAFETY WARNING Do not allow children to play with the seat belts. Most seating positions are equipped with Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode seat belts. If the seat belt becomes wrapped around a child's neck with the ALR mode activated, the child can be seriously injured or killed if the seat belt retracts and becomes tight. This can occur even if the vehicle is parked. Unbuckle the seat belt to release the child. If the seat belt can not be unbuckled or is already unbuckled, release the child by cutting the seat belt with a suitable tool (such as a knife or scissors) to release the seat belt. Children need adults to help protect them. They need to be properly restrained. In addition to the general information in this manual, child safety information is available from many other sources, including doctors, teachers, government traffic safety offices, and community organizations. Every child is different, so be sure to learn the best way to transport your child. There are three basic types of child restraint systems: • Rear-facing child restraint • Forward-facing child restraint • Booster seat The proper restraint depends on the child's size. Generally, infants up to about 1 year and less than 20 lb (9 kg) should be placed in rear-facing child restraints. Forward-facing child restraints are available for children who outgrow rearfacing child restraints and are at least 1 year old. Booster seats are used to help position a vehicle lap/shoulder belt on a child who can no longer use a forward-facing child restraint. WARNING Infants and children need special protection. The vehicle's seat belts may not fit them properly. The shoulder belt may come too close to the face or neck. The lap belt may not fit over their small hip bones. In an accident, an improperly fitting seat belt could cause serious or fatal injury. Always use appropriate child restraints. All U.S. states and Canadian provinces or territories require the use of approved child restraints for infants and small children. See ЉChild restraintsЉ. A child restraint may be secured in the vehicle by using either the LATCH (Lower Anchor and Tethers for Children) system or with the vehicle seat belt. For more information, see ЉChild restraintsЉ. NISSAN recommends that all pre-teens and children be restrained in the rear seat. According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat. This is especially important because your vehicle has a supplemental restraint system (air bag system) for the front passenger. See ؆Supplemental restraint systemЉ. INFANTS Infants up to at least 1 year old should be placed in a rear-facing child restraint. NISSAN recommends that infants be placed in child restraints that comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. You should choose a child restraint that fits your vehicle and always follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and use. SMALL CHILDREN Children that are over 1 year old and weigh at least 20 lbs (9 kg) should remain in a rear-facing Safety-Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system 1-15