Honda HR-V: Safety of Infants and Small Children

■Protecting Infants

An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the infant reaches the seat maker's weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant is at least one year old.

■ Positioning a rear-facing child seat

Child seats must be placed and secured in a rear seating position.

When properly installed, a rear-facing child seat may prevent the driver or a front passenger from moving their seat all the way back, or from locking their seat-back in the desired position.

It can also interfere with proper operation of the passenger's advanced front airbag system.

If this occurs, we recommend that you install the child seat directly behind the front passenger's seat, move the seat as far forward as needed, and leave it unoccupied.

Or, you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.

WARNING

Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or death during a crash.

Always place a rear-facing child seat in the rear seat, not the front.

Rear-facing child seats should never be installed in a forward facing position.

Always refer to the child seat manufacturer's instructions before installation.

■Protecting Smaller Children

If a child is at least one year old and within the weight range indicated by the child seat manufacturer, the child should be properly restrained in a firmly secured forward-facing child seat.

■ Forward-facing child seat placement

We strongly recommend placing a forward-facing child seat in a rear seating position.

Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can be hazardous, even with advanced front airbags that automatically turn the passenger's front airbag off. A rear seat is the safest place for a child.

WARNING

Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or death if the front airbag inflates.

If you must place a forward-facing child seat in front, move the vehicle seat as far back as possible, and properly restrain the child.

Educate yourself about the laws and regulations regarding child seat use where you are driving, and follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions.

Many experts recommend use of a rear-facing seat for a child up to two years old if the child's height and weight are appropriate for a rear-facing seat.

■Selecting a Child Seat

Most child seats are LATCH-compatible (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren).

Some have a rigid-type connector, while others have a flexible-type connector. Both are equally easy to use. Some existing and previously owned child seats can only be installed using the seat belt. Whichever type you choose, follow the child seat manufacturer's use and care instructions as well as the instructions in this manual.

Proper installation is key to maximizing your child's safety.

In seating positions and vehicles not equipped with LATCH, a LATCH compatible child seat can be installed using the seat belt and a top tether for added security.

This is because all child seats are required to be designed so that they can be secured with a lap belt or the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt. In addition, the child seat manufacturer may advise that a seat belt be used to attach a LATCH-compatible seat once a child reaches a specified weight. Please read the child seat owner's manual for proper installation instructions.

■ Important consideration when selecting a child seat

Make sure the child seat meets the following three requirements:

• The child seat is the correct type and size for the child.
• The child seat is the correct type for the seating position.
• The child seat is compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.

Installation of a LATCH-compatible child seat is simple.

LATCH-compatible child seats have been developed to simplify the installation process and reduce the likelihood of injuries caused by incorrect installation.

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