Kia Sportage: Seat belt precautions

WARNING

Everyone travelling in the Kia Sportage must wear a seat belt at all times. Seat belts and child restraints help reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury during a collision or sudden stop. Without a belt, an occupant may be thrown toward a deploying air bag, strike the vehicle interior or be ejected from the vehicle. Wearing a seat belt correctly greatly reduces these risks. Follow all instructions in this manual concerning seat belts, air bags and seating positions.

Infants and small children

Follow the child restraint requirements that apply in your country. Install an appropriate infant or child seat correctly in a rear seat.

TIP

See the “Child restraint system (CRS)” section for further guidance.

WARNING

Every person in the vehicle, including infants and children, must be properly restrained on every trip. Never hold a child on your lap or in your arms while travelling. The forces generated in a collision can pull the child from your grasp and throw them against the vehicle interior. Always use a child restraint suited to the child's height and weight.

NOTE

Small children are best protected in a collision when secured in a suitable child restraint in a rear seat. Before purchasing a restraint, check that its certification label confirms compliance with the safety standards in your country. Make sure the restraint is appropriate for the child's height and weight by checking its label. For installation and use guidance, see “Child restraint system (CRS).”

Larger children

Children who have outgrown a child restraint should ride in a rear seat and use the available lap-and-shoulder belt. Position the lap section low and snug across the hips. Check the fit regularly, since a child's movement can shift the belt out of place. A correctly fitted restraint in a rear seat offers children the greatest protection in a collision. If a child over age 13 must ride in the front seat, fasten the available lap-and-shoulder belt securely and move the seat as far back as possible. Children aged 13 and younger must be properly restrained in a rear seat. Never place a child aged 13 or younger in the front seat, and never install a rear-facing child seat in the front seat.

If the shoulder belt lightly touches a child's neck or face, have the child sit closer to the centre of the vehicle. If the belt still contacts the face or neck, the child must use an appropriate child restraint.

WARNING

• Never allow the shoulder belt to rest against a child's neck or face while the vehicle is moving.

• A seat belt that is incorrectly worn or adjusted can expose a child to the risk of serious or fatal injury.

Pregnant women

Wearing a seat belt is recommended during pregnancy to help reduce the risk of injury in a collision. Position the lap section as low and snug as possible across the hips, never across the abdomen. Consult a physician for advice specific to your circumstances.

WARNING

Never place the lap section of the belt over the abdomen where the foetus is located or above the abdomen, where the belt could compress the foetus during an impact.

Injured occupants

Use a seat belt when transporting an injured person. Ask a physician for guidance on any special precautions that may be needed.

One person per seat belt

Never use one seat belt for two people, including children. Sharing a belt can increase the severity of injuries in a collision.

Do not lie down

To reduce the risk of injury and allow the restraint system to work as intended, all occupants should sit upright while the Kia Sportage is moving. Keep the front seatbacks upright as well. A seat belt cannot provide proper protection if an occupant is lying across a rear seat or if a front seat is reclined.

WARNING

Travelling with a reclined seatback increases the risk of serious or fatal injury in a collision or sudden stop. Reclining greatly reduces the protection provided by the seat belts and air bags. For a seat belt to work correctly, it must fit snugly across the hips and chest. The farther a seatback is reclined, the greater the chance that an occupant's hips will slide beneath the lap belt, causing serious internal injuries, or that the occupant's neck will strike the shoulder belt. Drivers and passengers should sit well back in their seats, wear their seat belts correctly and keep the seatbacks upright.

Pre-tensioner seat belt

The Kia Sportage is equipped with pre-tensioner seat belts for the driver, front passenger and rear passengers, except the rear centre passenger. These belts help restrain occupants during certain ...

Care of seat belts

Never dismantle or modify the seat belt system. Protect the belts and their components from damage caused by seat hinges, doors or improper handling. Regular care helps ensure that the restraints i...