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Seat Belt Safety Precautions

Always fasten your seat belt and make sure all passengers have fastened their seat belts before starting any trip. Airbags are designed to supplement the seat belt as an additional safety device, not a replacement. Most states require all vehicle occupants wear seat belts.

Seat belts must be used by ALL passengers whenever the vehicle is moving. To prevent serious injury or death:

  • Children under the age of 13 should be properly restrained in the rear seats.

  • NEVER allow children to ride in the front passenger seat, unless the airbag is deactivated. If a child is seated in the front passenger seat, move the seat as far back as possible. And the child must always be restrained in the seat properly.

  • NEVER allow an infant or child to be carried on an occupant's lap.

  • NEVER ride with the seatback reclined when the vehicle is moving.

  • Do not allow children to share a seat or seat belt.

  • Do not wear the shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back.

  • NEVER wear a seat belt over fragile objects. If there is a sudden stop or impact, the seat belt can damage it.

  • Do not use the seat belt if it is twisted. A twisted seat belt will not protect you properly in a collision.

  • Do not latch the seat belt into the buckles intended for other seating positions.

  • NEVER unfasten the seat belt while driving. This may cause loss of vehicle control resulting in a collision.

  • Make sure there is nothing in the buckle that could interfere with the seat belt latch mechanism from fastening securely.

  • NEVER modify seat belts or install devices that may prevent seat belt assembly from removing slack.

  • Do not use a seat belt if the webbing or hardware is damaged. Have the seat belt replaced by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.

Damaged seat belts and seat belt assemblies do not operate properly. Always replace:

  • Frayed, contaminated, or damaged webbing.

  • Damaged hardware.

  • The entire seat belt assembly after it has been worn in a crash, even if damage to webbing or assembly is not apparent.

Seat belt use during pregnancy

The seat belt should always be used during pregnancy. The best way to protect your unborn child is to protect yourself by always wearing the seat belt.

Pregnant women should always wear a lap-shoulder seat belt. Place the shoulder belt across your chest, routed between your breasts and away from your neck. Place the lap belt below your belly and pull the shoulder portion so it fits SNUGLY across your hips and pelvic bone, under the rounded part of your belly.

  • A pregnant woman is more vulnerable to any impacts on the abdomen during an abrupt stop or collision. If you are in a crash while pregnant, consult your doctor.

  • To reduce the risk of serious injury or death to an unborn child during a crash, do not let pregnant women place the lap portion of the seat belt above or over the area of the abdomen where the unborn child is located.

Seat belt use and children

Infants and small children

All 50 states have Child Restraint System laws that require children to travel in approved Child Restraint System devices, including booster seats. The age at which seat belts can be used instead of Child Restraint System may be different, so you should be aware of the specific requirements in your state where you are traveling. Infant and Child Restraint System must be properly placed and installed in a rear seat.

For more information, refer to Seat Belt Safety Precautions.

Small children are best protected from injury in a crash when properly restrained in the rear seat by a Child Restraint System that meets the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Before buying any Child Restraint System, make sure that it has a label certifying that it meets the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards FMVSS 213. The Child Restraint System must be appropriate for your child's height and weight. Check the label on the Child Restraint System for this information.

For more information, refer to Child Restraint System.

  • Always properly restrain infants and small children in a Child Restraint System appropriate for the child's height and weight.

  • To reduce the risk of serious injury or death to a child and other passengers, NEVER hold a child in your lap or arms when the vehicle is moving. Violent forces during a collision will tear the child from your arms and throw the child against the interior or to be ejected from the vehicle.

Larger children

Children under age 13 and who are too large for a booster seat should always occupy the rear seat and use the available lap/shoulder belts. A seat belt should be snug against the hips and be snug across the shoulder and chest to restrain the child safely. A child's squirming could move the belt out of position. Adults should frequently check belt fit. In a collision, the safest place for children is in the rear seats, using a Child Restraint System appropriate for the child.

If a larger child over age 13 must be seated in the front seat, the child must be securely restrained by the available seat belt and the seat should be placed in the rearmost position.

If the shoulder belt portion slightly touches the child's neck or face, try placing the child closer to the center of the vehicle. If the shoulder belt still touches their face or neck, the child needs to return to an appropriate booster seat in the rear seat.

  • Always make sure children's seat belts are buckled and properly adjusted.

  • NEVER allow the shoulder belt to contact the child's neck or face.

  • Do not allow more than one child to use a single seat belt.

Seat belt use and injured people

A seat belt should still be used when an injured person is being transported. Consult a physician for specific recommendations.

One person per belt

When two people (children or adults) are sitting together, never attempt to use a single seat belt. This could increase the severity of injuries in a collision.

Do not lie down

Sitting in a reclined position when the vehicle is moving, can be dangerous. Even when buckled up, the protections of your restraint system (seat belts and/or airbags) are greatly reduced by reclining your seatback.

Seat belts must be snug against your hips and chest to work properly.

During a collision, you could be thrown into the seat belt, causing neck or other injuries.

The more the seatback is reclined, the greater the chance for the passenger's hips to slide under the lap belt or the passenger's neck to strike the shoulder belt.

  • NEVER ride with a reclined seatback when the vehicle is moving.

  • Do not ride with a reclined seatback. It may increase your chance of serious or fatal injuries in the event of a collision or sudden stop.

  • Have the driver and all passengers always sit well back in their seats, properly belted, and with the seatbacks upright.