A child within reach of a seat belt may become entangled if he or she pulls the seat belt all the way out and wraps the belt around his or her head, neck, or waist.

The majority of seat belts have a locking mechanism that is activated when the seat belt is pulled all the way out from the retractor.

This feature is designed for child seat installation. In instances when the locking feature activates, the child may not be able to free him or herself.

This can happen if you do not properly restrain your child, for example, if you let the child lie down or sleep on the vehicle seat, instead of being properly restrained. Older children who are no longer in a child restraint system, can become entangled by pulling a seat belt all the way out of the retractor, or by playing with an unused seat belt.

If you used your vehicle's Lower Anchors and Tether for Children (LATCH) system to install the car seat, your child may be able to reach an unused belt.

• Do not let children play in or around cars.
• Never leave a child unattended in or around a vehicle.
• Always ensure children are properly restrained.
• Teach children that seat belts are not toys.
• Be aware that some seat belts have a retractor that locks if pulled all the way out.
• If a child has an unused seat belt within reach:
  • Buckle unused seat belts. Pull the seat belt out all the way to the end without yanking. Then, feed the excess webbing back into the retractor.
  • If a child seat is installed with LATCH, consider completing the steps above before you install the child seat. Always consult your child seat and vehicle owner's manual for installation instructions.