■ Always wear your seat belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbags are designed to supplement seat belts, not replace them. So even though your vehicle is equipped with airbags, make sure you and your passengers always wear your seat belts, and wear them properly.

■ Restrain all children
Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in a back seat, not the front seat. Infants and small children should be restrained in a child seat. Larger children should use a booster seat and a lap/shoulder seat belt until they can use the belt properly without a booster seat.

■ Be aware of airbag hazards
While airbags can save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries to occupants who sit too close to them, or are not properly restrained. Infants, young children, and short adults are at the greatest risk. Be sure to follow all instructions and warnings in this manual.

■ Don’t drink and drive
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even one drink can reduce your ability to respond to changing conditions, and your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink.

So don’t drink and drive, and don’t let your friends drink and drive, either.

Important Safety Precautions

Some states, provinces and territories prohibit the use of cell phones other than hands-free devices by the driver while driving.

■ Pay appropriate attention to the task of driving safely
Engaging in cell phone conversation or other activities that keep you from paying close attention to the road, other vehicles, and pedestrians could lead to a crash.

Remember, situations can change quickly, and only you can decide when it is safe to divert some attention away from driving.

■ Control your speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher the speed, the greater the risk, but serious injuries can also occur at lower speeds.

Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the maximum speed posted.

■ Keep your vehicle in safe condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical failure can be extremely hazardous.

To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire pressures and condition frequently, and perform all regularly scheduled maintenance.