1996 Toyota RAV4 Owners Manual - Page 44

-Child restraint system A child restraint system for a small child or baby must itself be restrained on the seat with either the lap belt or the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt. The child restraint system should conform to the size of the child and properly fit the vehicle seat. For greater safety, the child restraint system should be installed in the rear seat According to accident statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat. When installing a child restraint system, follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the system. General directions are also provided under the following illustrations. ! CAUTION After installing the child restraint system, make sure it is secured in place. If it is not restrained securely, it may cause injury to the child in the event of a sudden stop or accident. When not using the child restraint system, keep it secured with the seat belt or place it somewhere other than in passenger compartment. This will prevent it injuring passengers in the event of a sudden stop or accident. (A)INSTALLATION ON REAR SEAT CENTER (4 door models) When installing a rear-facing child restraint system, follow the same procedure as when installing a forward-facing child restraint system. ! CAUTION Do not use a rear-facing child restraint system in the rear seat if it interferes with the lock mechanism of the front seats. This may cause severe injury to the child and front passenger in case of sudden braking or a collision. 38