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45
Adjustments
Sit safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed driving that is as
fatigue-free as possible. The sitting posi-
tion plays an important role together with
the safety belts and airbags in providing
occupants with maximum levels of passive
safety in an accident. To ensure that the
safety systems operate with optimal effi-
ciency, we strongly urge you to observe the
instructions contained in the following sec-
tion.
For additional information on transporting
children safely, refer to page 57.
Sitting safely with airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the air-
bags. Always hold the steering wheel by
its rim with hands at the 9 o'clock and
3 o'clock positions, to minimize the risk of
injuries to your hands and arms in the event
of airbag deployment.
No one and nothing is to come between the
airbags and the seat occupant.
To prevent possible leg injuries should the
knee airbag deploy in an accident, ensure
that the front passenger assumes a correct
sitting position. Do not use the cover of the
front airbag on the front passenger side as
a storage area for objects, or as a rest for
feet or legs.<
For airbag locations and additional infor-
mation on airbags, refer to page 55.
Safe sitting position with safety belts
For the safety of all vehicle occupants,
please comply with the following instruc-
tions for wearing safety belts.
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a pas-
senger's lap.
Avoid twisting the belt while routing it firmly
across the hips and shoulder. Wear it as
snugly against your body as possible. Do
not allow the belt to rest against hard or
fragile objects.
Do not route the belt across your neck, or
run it across sharp edges. Be sure that the
belt does not become caught or jammed.
Avoid wearing loose or bulky clothing that
would prevent the belt from resting
securely against your body; pull on the
shoulder strap periodically to keep it ten-
sioned.
In the event of a frontal impact, a loose lap
belt could slide over your hips, leading to
abdominal injury. In addition, the safety
belt's restraint effectiveness is reduced if
the belt is worn loosely.
Expectant mothers should always wear
their safety belts, taking care to position
the lap belt against the lower hips, where it
will not exert pressure against the abdom-
inal area.<
For putting on safety belts, refer to
page 50.
Seats
For your personal safety when adjusting
the seat position, please follow the instruc-
tions below carefully.
Never attempt to adjust your seat
while operating the vehicle. The seat
could respond with unexpected move-
ment, and the ensuing loss of vehicle con-
trol could lead to an accident.
Never recline the backrest to an extremely
horizontal position while operating the
vehicle – this precaution is especially
important for front passengers and the
occupants of electric power rear seats to
remember. Failure to observe these pre-
cautions can prevent the belts from pro-
viding effective protection against injury, as
passengers could slide under the belts in
an accident.<
Online Edition for Part No. 01 41 0 157 197 - © 11/02 BMW AG