2010 BMW M3 Owner's Manual - Page 43

Adjustments Sitting safely The ideal sitting position can make a vital contribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In conjunction with the safety belts, the head restraints and the airbags, the seated position has a major influence on your safety in the event of an accident. To ensure that the safety systems operate with optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to observe the instructions contained in the following section. For additional information on transporting children safely, refer to page 50. Head restraint A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the risk of neck injury in the event of an accident. Adjust the head restraint in such a way that its center is at approx. ear level. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident.< Head restraints, refer to page 43. Safety belt Before every drive, make sure that all occupants wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the safety belt as an additional safety device, but they do not represent a substitute. Your vehicle has five seats, each of which is equipped with a safety belt. Never allow more than one person to wear a single safety belt. Never allow infants or small children to ride in a passenger's lap. Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits low across the hips and does not press against the abdomen. The safety belt must not rest against the throat, run across sharp edges, pass over hard or fragile objects or be pinched. Fasten the safety belt so that it sits as snugly as possible against the lap and shoulder without being twisted. Otherwise, the belt could slide over your hips and injure your abdomen in the event of a frontal collision. Avoid wearing bulky clothing and regularly pull the belt in the upper-body area taut; otherwise, its restraining effect could be impaired. Sports Wagon: if the rear center safety belt is used, the wider backrest must be locked in place, refer to page 110. Otherwise, the safety belt will have no restraining effect.< Safety belts, refer to page 46. Airbags Always maintain an adequate distance between yourself and the airbags. Always grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or arms in the event of the airbag being triggered off. No one and nothing should come between the airbags 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 front passenger is sitting correctly, e.g. not resting feet or legs on the dashboard; otherwise, leg injuries can occur if the front airbag deploys. Make sure that passengers keep their heads away from the side airbag and do not lean against the cover of the head airbag; otherwise, serious injuries can result if the airbag deploys.< Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries resulting from contact with airbags cannot be fully excluded, depending on the circumstances. The ignition and inflation noise may provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensitive individuals. This effect is usually only temporary. For airbag locations and additional information on airbags, refer to page 90. 41 Online Edition for Part no. 01 41 2 603 066 - © 08/09 BMW AG Reference Mobility Communications Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance