Never hold an infant or child on your lap. If you are not wearing a seat belt in a crash, you could be thrown forward and crush the child against the dashboard or a seat-back. If you are wearing a seat belt, the child can be torn from your arms and be seriously hurt or killed.

Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt could press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.

Never let two children use the same seat belt. If they do, they could be very seriously injured in a crash.

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. If a child wraps a loose seat belt around their neck, they can be seriously or fatally injured.

(See for how to activate and deactivate the lockable retractor.)

Do not leave children alone in a vehicle. Leaving children without adult supervision is illegal in most states, Canadian provinces and territories, and can be very hazardous.

For example, infants and small children left in a vehicle on a hot day can die from heatstroke. A child left alone with the key in the ignition switch can accidentally set the vehicle in motion, possibly injuring themselves or others.

Lock both doors and the trunk when your vehicle is not in use.

Children who play in vehicles can accidentally get trapped inside.

Teach your children not to play in or around vehicles. Know how to operate the emergency trunk opener and decide if your children should be shown how to use this feature.

Keep vehicle keys/remote transmitters out of the reach of children. Even very young children learn how to unlock vehicle doors, turn on the ignition switch, and open the trunk, which can lead to accidental injury or death.