Toyota Yaris: Occupant restraint systems

Toyota encourages you and your family to take the time to read Section 1-3 of this Owner’s Manual carefully. In terms of helping you understand how you can receive the maximum benefit of the occupant restraint systems this vehicle provides, Section 1-3 of this Owner’s Manual is the most important section for you and your family to read.

Section 1-3 describes the function and operation concerning seats, seat belts, SRS airbags and child restraint systems of this vehicle and some potential hazards you should be aware of. These systems work together along with the overall structure of this vehicle in order to provide occupant restraint in the event of a crash. The effect of each system is enhanced when it is used properly and together with other systems. No single occupant restraint system can, by itself, provide you or your family with the equal level of restraint which these systems can provide when used together.

That is why it is important for you and your family to understand the purpose and proper use of each of these systems and how they relate to each other.

The purpose of all occupant restraint systems is to help reduce the possibility of death or serious injury in the event of a collision. None of these systems, either individually or together, can ensure that there is no injury in the event of collision. However, the more you know about these systems and how to use them properly, the greater your chances become of surviving an accident without death or serious injury.

Seat belts provide the primary restraint to all occupants of the vehicle, and every occupant of the vehicle should wear seat belts properly at all times. Children should always be secured in child restraint systems that are appropriate for their age and size. SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags are, as their names imply, designed to work with, and be supplemental to, seat belts and are not substitutes for them. SRS airbags can be very effective in reducing the risk of head and chest injuries by preventing contact of the head and chest with interior portions of the vehicle.

In order to be effective, the SRS airbags must deploy with tremendous speed. The rapid deployment of the SRS airbags makes the SRS airbags themselves potential sources of serious injury if an occupant is too close to an airbag, or if an object or some part of his or her body has been placed between the occupant and the airbag at the time of deployment. This is just one example of how the instructions in Section 1-3 of this Owner’s Manual will help ensure proper use of the occupant restraint systems, and increase the safety they can provide to you and your family in the event of an accident.

Toyota recommends you to read the provisions in Section 1-3 carefully and refer to them as needed during your time of ownership of this vehicle.