Mazda 3 Owners Manual: Child-Restraint Precautions

Follow the manufacturer's instructions and always keep the child-restraint system buckled down: An unsecured child-restraint system is dangerous. In a sudden stop or a collision it could move causing serious injury or death to the child or other occupants. Make sure any child-restraint system is properly secured in place according to the child-restraint system manufacturer's instructions. When not in use, remove it from the vehicle or fasten it with a seat belt, or latch it down to BOTH LATCH lower anchors for LATCH child-restraint systems and the corresponding tether anchor.

Always secure a child in a proper child-restraint system: Holding a child in your arms while the vehicle is moving is extremely dangerous. No matter how strong the person may be, he or she cannot hold onto a child in a sudden stop or collision and it could result in serious injury or death to the child or other occupants. Even in a moderate accident, the child may be exposed to air bag forces that could result in serious injury or death to the child, or the child may be slammed into an adult, causing injury to both child and adult.

Never use a rear-facing child-restraint system in the front seat with an air bag that could deploy: Rear-facing child-restraint systems on the front seat are particularly dangerous even though you may feel assured that a front passenger air bag will not deploy based on the fact that the front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light illuminates. The child-restraint system can be hit by a deploying air bag and moved violently backward resulting in serious injury or death to the child.

(U.S.A. and Canada) Vehicles with a front passenger air bag have a warning label attached as shown below.

The warning label reminds you not to put a rear-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat at any time.

(Mexico) NEVER use a rearward facing child restraint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it, DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.

Vehicles with a front passenger air bag have a warning label attached as shown below.

The warning label reminds you not to put a rear-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat at any time.

Do not install a front-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat unless it is unavoidable: In a collision, the force of a deploying air bag could cause serious injury or death to the child. If installing a front-facing child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is unavoidable, move the front passenger seat as far back as possible.

Seating a child in a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat is dangerous under certain conditions (With Front Passenger Occupant Classifi cation System) : Your vehicle is equipped with front passenger seat weight sensors. Even with the front passenger seat weight sensors, if you must use the front passenger seat to seat a child, using a child-restraint system on the front passenger seat under the following conditions increases the danger of the front passenger air bag deploying and could result in serious injury or death to the child.

• The front passenger air bag deactivation indicator light does not illuminate when seating a child in the child-restraint system.
• Luggage or other items are placed on the seat with the child in the child-restraint system.
• A rear passenger or luggage pushing or pulling down on the front passenger seatback.
• A rear passenger puts their feet on the front seat rails.
• Luggage or other items are placed on the seatback or hung on the head restraint.
• Heavy items are placed in the seatback map pocket.
• The seat is washed.
• Liquids are spilled on the seat.
• The front passenger seat is moved backward, pushing into luggage or other items placed behind it.
• The front passenger seatback contacts the rear seat.
• Luggage or other items are placed between the front passenger seat and driver seat.
• Any accessories, which might increase the total seated weight on the front passenger seat, are attached to the front passenger seat.

The designated positions with seat belts on the rear seats are the safest places for children. Always use seat belts and child restraints.

Do not allow a child or anyone to lean over or against the side window of a vehicle with side and curtain air bags: It is dangerous to allow anyone to lean over or against the side window, the area of the front passenger seat, the front and rear window pillars and the roof edge along both sides from which the side and curtain air bags deploy, even if a child-restraint system is used. The impact of infl ation from a side or curtain air bag could cause serious injury or death to an out of position child. Furthermore, leaning over or against the front door could block the side and curtain air bags and eliminate the advantages of supplemental protection. With the front air bag and the additional side air bag that comes out of the front seat, the rear seat is always a better location for children. Take special care not to allow a child to lean over or against the side window, even if the child is seated in a childrestraint system.

Never use one seat belt on more than one person at a time: Using one seat belt for more than one person at a time is dangerous. A seat belt used in this way cannot spread the impact forces properly and the two passengers could be crushed together and seriously injured or even killed. Never use one belt for more than one person at a time and always operate the vehicle with each occupant properly restrained.