Adjustments, Sitting safely – BMW X3 xDrive30i 2010 User Manual

Page 29

Adjustments

Sitting safely

The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed driving that is as fatigue-free
as possible. Together with safety belts, head
restraints, and airbags, sitting position plays an
important role in an accident. Compliance with
the following instructions is important; failure to
do so could impair the protective function of the
safety systems.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page

Airbags

Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always

hold the steering wheel by its rim with hands at
the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, to mini-
mize the risk of injuries to your hands and arms
in the event of airbag deployment.
No one and nothing is to come between the air-
bags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Make
sure that the passenger sits correctly, e.g. does
not rest his feet or legs on the instrument clus-
ter. Otherwise, a triggering of the front airbag
could result in leg injuries. Make sure that pas-
sengers do not lean their heads against side or
head airbags. Otherwise, a triggering of the air-
bag could result in injuries.

Even if you adhere to all the instructions, inju-
ries resulting from contact with airbags cannot
be entirely ruled out, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild – usually temporary – hearing
loss in extremely sensitive individuals.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page

Head restraint

A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of damage to the cervical vertebrae in acci-
dents.

Adjust the head restraint so that its mid-
dle lies approximately at the height of

your ears. Otherwise, there is an increased risk
of injury in the event of an accident.

Head restraints, refer to page

Safety belts

Make sure the safety belts are worn in all occu-
pied seats every time you drive. Although air-
bags enhance safety by providing added pro-
tection, they are not a substitute for safety
belts.
Your vehicle has five seats that are each
equipped with a safety belt.

Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Infants and chil-

dren must not ride on a lap. Make sure that the
belt in the lap area sits low against the hips
and does not press against the abdomen. The
safety belt must never rest against the throat,
rub against sharp edges, pass over hard or frag-
ile objects or be pinched. Fasten the safety belt
around your body snugly, making sure that it is
pulled taut across your lap and shoulder and
that it is not twisted; otherwise, the belt can
slide over the hips in the event of a frontal colli-
sion and injure your abdomen. Avoid wearing
clothing that prevents the belt from fitting prop-
erly and pull the shoulder belt upward periodi-
cally to readjust the tension across your lap in
order to avoid a reduction in the restraining
action of the safety belt.
If the middle safety belt is used, the larger part
of the backrest must be locked in position, refer
to page

; otherwise, the middle safety belt

cannot exert any restraining action.

Safety belts, refer to page