Kia Optima: Restraint of Infants and Small Children

To increase their safety, infants and young children should always be restrained by a restraint system approved for their age and size. for this reason, all states of The United States have laws governing the restraint of children.

WARNING - Children on Lap

Never hold a child on your lap or in your arms in a moving vehicle. Even a very strong person cannot hold onto a child in the event of even a minor collision.

Many companies manufacture child-restraint systems (often called child seats) for infants and small children. An acceptable child-restraint system must always satisfy U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Make sure that any child-restraint system you use in your vehicle is labeled as complying with those safety standards.

The child restraint system should be chosen to fit both the size of the child and the size of the vehicle seat. Be sure to follow any instructions provided by the child restraint system manufacturer when installing the child-restraint system.

WARNING - Infants and Young Children

• Infants and young children are at much greater risk of serious injury or death in an accident or sudden stop if they are unrestrained or restrained improperly. follow all instructions in this section of your Kia manual and the instructions that came on and with an improved child safety restraint system. The child restraint must be correctly installed in the vehicle, and the child must be correctly installed in the child restraint.
• All children under 12 are safest in the back seat. The center rear position is best.
• Never install a rear-facing infant seat in the front passenger position. The baby will be injured or killed by the airbag if it deploys in an accident.
• Never allow a child to stand or kneel on the seat of a moving vehicle. Insist the child sit down in an approved restraint system.
• Never allow a safety belt to be placed around both a child and an adult or around two children. In an accident they will not be properly restrained and may receive worse injuries from being thrown forward or crushed against one another.
• Never allow a child to be held on a lap or in anyone’s arms while the vehicle is moving. Even a very strong person cannot hold onto a child in even a minor collision.
• A child too large for a child restraint but too small for the vehicle safety belts should use an approved beltpositioning booster seat. this is safer than allowing a child to ride with a shoulder belt that touches their face or neck.

WARNING - Hot Metal Parts

Since a safety belt or child restraint system can become very hot in a closed vehicle during warm sunny weather, be sure to check the seat cover and buckles before placing a child anywhere near them.