mazda-om-release2-029 1..372 ++ - Mazda Canada

Essential Safety EquipmentChild RestraintInstalling Child-RestraintSystemsAccident statistics reveal that a child issafer in the rear seat. The front passenger'sseat is clearly the worst choice for anychild under 12, and with rear-facing childrestraintsystems it is clearly unsafe due toair bags.Some child-restraint systems now comewith tethers and therefore must beinstalled on the seats that take tethers tobe effective. In your Mazda, tetheredchild-restraint systems can only beaccommodated in the three positions onthe rear seat.Even if your vehicle is equipped with thefront passenger air bag cut-off system(page 2-45), which automaticallydeactivates the front passenger air bag, arear seat is the safest place for a child ofany age or size.Some child-restraint systems also employspecially designed LATCH attachments;refer to “LATCH Child-RestraintSystems” (page 2-33).WARNINGTethered Child-Restraint SystemsWork Only on Tether-Equipped RearSeats:Installation of a tether equipped childrestraintsystem in the frontpassenger's seat defeats the safetydesign of the system and will result inan increased chance of serious injuryif the child-restraint system goesforward without benefit of beingtethered.Place tether equipped child-restraintsystems where there are tetheranchors.qRear Seat Child-Restraint SystemInstallationFollow these instructions when using achild-restraint system, unless you areattaching a LATCH-equipped childrestraintsystem to the rear LATCH loweranchors. Refer to “LATCH Child-Restraint Systems” (page 2-33).NOTEFollow the child-restraint systemmanufacturer's instructions carefully. Ifyou are not sure whether you have aLATCH system or tether, check in thechild-restraint system manufacturer'sinstructions and follow themaccordingly. Depending on the type ofchild-restraint system, it may notemploy seat belts which are inautomatic locking mode.2-25