Leon owner’s manual inglés 1P0012003ee (07. 11) (GT9) leon

23
Seat belts
Seat belt protection
Passengers not wearing seat belts risk severe injuries in the
event of an accident.
Fig. 10  A driver wearing
the seat belt properly is
secured by the belt in
sharp braking
Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the correct sitting po-
sitions and substantially reduce the kinetic energy in the event of an acci-
dent. Seat belts also help to prevent uncontrolled movements that could
lead to severe injuries. In addition, properly worn seat belts reduce the dan-
ger of being thrown from the vehicle.
Passengers wearing their seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the ability
of the belts to absorb kinetic energy. The front part of your vehicle and other
passive safety features (such as the airbag system) are also designed to ab-
sorb the kinetic energy released in a collision. Taken together, all these fea-
tures reduce the releasing kinetic energy and consequently, the risk of in-
jury.
Our examples describe frontal collisions. Of course, properly worn seat belts
substantially reduce the risk of injury in all other types of accidents. This is
why it is so important to fasten seat belts before every trip, even when "just
driving around the corner".
Ensure that your passengers wear their seat belts as well. Accident statistics
have shown that wearing seat belts is an effective means of substantially
reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of survival in a seri-
ous accident. Furthermore, properly worn seat belts improve the protection
provided by airbags in the event of an accident. For this reason, wearing a
seat belt is required by law in most countries.
Although your vehicle is equipped with airbags, the seat belts must be fas-
tened and worn. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some
frontal accidents. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal
collisions, minor side collisions, rear collisions, overturns or accidents in
which the airbag trigger threshold value in the control unit is not exceeded.
Therefore, you should always wear your seat belt and ensure that your pas-
sengers have fastened their seat belts properly before you drive off!

Safety instructions on using seat belts
If seat belts are used correctly, they can reduce the risk of in-
jury in an accident.
– Always wear the seat belt as described in this section.
– Ensure that the seat belts can be fastened at all times and are
not damaged.

Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications

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24
Seat belts
WARNING
●
If the seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at all, the risk of severe
injuries increases. The optimal protection from seat belts can be ach-
ieved only if you use them properly.
●
Fasten your seat belt before every trip - even when driving in town.
The other passengers must also wear the seat belts at all times, other-
wise they run the risk of being injured.
●
The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the seat belt is not
positioned correctly.
●
Never allow two passengers (even children) to share the same seat
belt.
●
Keep both feet in the footwell in front of your seat as long as the vehi-
cle is in motion.
●
Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. Risk of fatal
injury.
●
The seat belt must never be twisted while it is being worn.
●
The seat belt should never lie on hard or fragile objects (such as
glasses or pens, etc.) because this can cause injuries.
●
Do not allow the seat belt to be damaged or jammed, or to rub on any
sharp edges.
●
Never wear the seat belt under the arm or in any other incorrect posi-
tion.
●
Loose, bulky clothing (such as an overcoat over a jacket) impairs the
proper fit and function of the belts, reducing their capacity to protect.
●
The slot in the seat belt buckle must not be blocked with paper or
other objects, as this can prevent the latch plate from engaging securely.
●
Never use seat belt clips, retaining rings or similar instruments to al-
ter the position of the belt webbing.
WARNING (Continued)
●
Frayed or torn seat belts or damage to the connections, belt retrac-
tors or parts of the buckle could cause severe injuries in the event of an
accident. Therefore, you must check the condition of all seat belts at reg-
ular intervals.
●
Seat belts which have been worn in an accident and stretched must
be replaced by a specialised workshop. Renewal may be necessary even
if there is no apparent damage. The belt anchorage should also be
checked.
●
Do not attempt to repair a damaged seat belt yourself. The seat belts
must not be removed or modified in any way.
●
The belts must be kept clean, otherwise the retractors may not work
properly 
⇒ page 207.


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25
Seat belts
Seat belts
Seat belt adjustment
The seat belts for the front and rear occupants are locked in-
to position by a latch.
Fig. 11  Belt buckle and
latch plate of seat belt
The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the seat belt is not
positioned correctly.
– Adjust the seat and head restraint correctly.
– To fasten the belt, take hold of the latch plate and pull it slowly
across your chest and lap.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat
and push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click
⇒ fig. 11
.
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged
in the buckle.
The seat belts are equipped with an automatic retractor on the shoulder
strap. Full freedom of movement is permitted when the shoulder belt is
pulled slowly. However, during sudden braking, during travel in steep areas
or bends and during acceleration, the automatic retractor on the shoulder
belt is locked.
The automatic belt retractors on the front seats are fitted with seat belt ten-
sioners 
⇒ page 29.
WARNING
●
An incorrectly worn seat belt can cause severe injuries in the event of
an accident.
●
The seat belts offer best protection only when the backrests are in an
upright position and the seat belts have been fastened properly.
●
Never put the latch plate in the buckle of another seat. If you do this,
the seat belt will not protect you properly and the risk of injury is in-
creased.
●
If an occupant is incorrectly belted in, the belt cannot protect him or
her properly. An incorrectly positioned seat belt can cause extremely se-
vere injuries.
●
Always engage the retractor lock when you are securing a child seat
in group 0, 0+ or 1 
⇒ page 46.

Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications

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