2008 Volvo S40 Owner's Manual - Page 26

inspection/ repairs. 30 01 Safety Child safety Children should be seated safely Volvo recommends the proper use of restraint systems for all occupants including children. Remember that, regardless of age and size, a child should always be properly restrained in a car. Your car is also equipped with ISOFIX/LATCH attachments, which make it more convenient to install child seats. Some restraint systems for children are designed to be secured in the vehicle by lap belts or the lap portion of a lapshoulder belt. Such child restraint systems can help protect children in cars in the event of an accident only if they are used properly. However, children could be endangered in a crash if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle. Failure to follow the installation instructions for your child restraint can result in your child striking the vehicle's interior in a sudden stop. Holding a child in your arms is NOT a suitable substitute for a child restraint system. In an accident, a child held in a person's arms can be crushed between the vehicle's interior and an unrestrained person. The child could also be injured by striking the interior, or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or impact. The same can also happen if the infant or child rides unrestrained on the seat. Other occupants should also be properly restrained to help reduce the chance of injuring or increasing the injury of a child. All states and provinces have legislation governing how and where children should be carried in a car. Find out the regulations existing in your state or province. Recent accident statistics have shown that children are safer in rear seating positions than front seating positions when properly restrained. A child restraint system can help protect a child in a vehicle. Here's what to look for when selecting a child restraint system: It should have a label certifying that it meets applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213) - or in Canada, CMVSS 213. Make sure the child restraint system is approved for the child's height, weight and development - the label required by the standard or regulation, or instructions for infant restraints, typically provide this information. In using any child restraint system, we urge you to carefully look over the instructions that are provided with the restraint. Be sure you understand them and can use the device properly and safely in this vehicle. A misused child restraint system can result in increased injuries for both the infant or child and other occupants in the vehicle. When a child has outgrown the child safety seat, you should use the rear seat with the standard seat belt fastened. The best way to help protect the child here is to place the child on a cushion so that the seat belt is properly located on the hips (see the illustration on page 40). Legislation in your state or province may mandate the use of a child seat or cushion in combination with the seat belt, depending on the child's age and/or size. Please check local regulations. A specially designed and tested booster cushion (not available in Canada) can be obtained from your Volvo retailer for children weighing 33 - 80 lb. (15 - 36 kg) and 38-54 inches (97 - 137 cm) in height. 31 01 Safety Child safety WARNING