Honda Fit: 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 forwardfacing 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 up to age two, 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.

Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat

A LATCH-compatible child seat can be installed in either of the two outer rear seats.

A child seat is attached to the lower anchors with either the rigid or flexible type of connectors.

1. Locate the lower anchors under the marks.

2. Place the child seat on the vehicle seat then attach the child seat to the lower anchors according to the instructions that came with the child seat.

► When installing the child seat, make sure that the lower anchors are not obstructed by the seat belt or any other object.

3. Put the head restraint to its upright, then route the tether strap between the head restraint legs, and secure the tether strap hook onto the anchor.

4. Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the child seat maker.

5. Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by rocking it forward and back and side to side; little movement should be felt.

6. Make sure any unused seat belt that a child can reach is buckled, the lockable retractor is activated, and the belt is fully retracted and locked.

For your child’s safety, when using a child seat installed using the LATCH system, make sure that the seat is properly secured to the vehicle. A child seat that is not properly secured will not adequately protect a child in a crash and may cause injury to the child or other vehicle occupants.

Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt

1. Place the child seat on the vehicle seat.

2. Route the seat belt through the child seat according to the seat maker’s instructions, and insert the latch plate into the buckle.

►Insert the latch plate fully until it clicks

3. Slowly pull the shoulder part of the belt all the way out until it stops. This activates the lockable retractor.

4. Let the seat belt completely wind up into the retractor, then try to pull it out to make sure the retractor is locked.

► If you are able to pull the shoulder belt out, the lockable retractor is not activated. Pull the seat belt all the way out, and repeat steps 3 – 4.

5. Grab the shoulder part of the seat belt near the buckle, and pull up to remove any slack from the lap part of the belt.

► When doing this, place your weight on the child seat and push it into the vehicle seat.

A child seat that is not properly secured will not adequately protect a child in a crash and may cause injury to the child or other vehicle occupants.

6. Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by rocking it forward and back and side to side; little movement should be felt.

7. Make sure any unused seat belt that a child can reach is buckled, the lockable retractor is activated, and the belt is fully retracted and locked.

To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.

Adding Security with a Tether

Two tether anchorage points are provided behind the rear outer seating positions and one in the ceiling for the rear center. A child seat that is installed with a seat belt and comes with a tether can use the tether for additional security.

Since a tether can provide additional security to the lap/shoulder seat belt installation, we recommend using a tether whenever one is available.

■ Using an outer anchor

1. Put the head restraint to its upright, then route the tether strap through the head restraint legs. Make sure the strap is not twisted.

2. Secure the tether strap hook onto the anchor.

3. Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the child seat manufacturer.

■ Using the center anchor

1. Lower the head restraint to its lowest position.

2. Open the anchor cover.

3. Route the tether strap over the head restraint.

Make sure the strap is not twisted.

4. Secure the tether strap hook onto the anchor.

5. Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the child seat manufacturer.