Mercedes-Benz 2009 SLK-Class Automobile User Manual


 
Occupant safety
51
the middle of the shoulder (it should not
touch the neck). Never pass the shoulder
portion of the seat belt under your arm.
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Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips and not across the abdo-
men. If the lap belt is positioned across
your abdomen, it could cause serious
injuries in a crash.
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Never wear seat belts over rigid or break-
able objects in or on your clothing, such
as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as these
might cause injuries.
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Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
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Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt
around a person and another person or
other objects at the same time.
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Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In
a crash, you would not have the full width
of the seat belt to distribute impact
forces. The twisted seat belt against your
body could cause injuries.
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Pregnant women should also always use
a lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible
on the hips to avoid any possible pres-
sure on the abdomen.
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Place the seat backrest in a position that
is as upright as possible.
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Check your seat belt during travel to
make sure it is properly positioned.
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Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
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When using a seat belt to secure infant
restraints, toddler restraints, or children
in booster seats, always follow the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.
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Warning!
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in
the door or in the seat adjustment mecha-
nism. This could damage the seat belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the seat belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Fastening the seat belts
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Warning!
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure your passengers is
properly restrained. You and your passen-
ger should always wear seat belts.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt greatly increases
your risk of injuries and their likely severity
in an accident.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury
or death is lessened if you are properly
wearing your seat belt. The air bags can
only protect as intended if the occupants
are properly wearing their seat belts.
Safety and security