Audi Q7: Safety belts

General information

Each seat is equipped with a three-point safety belt. Safety belts that are worn correctly are the most effective way to reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries in a collision. Therefore, wear your safety belt correctly and make sure that all vehicle passengers are also wearing their safety belts correctly when the vehicle is moving.

Even though your vehicle is equipped with an airbag system, every vehicle passenger must still always wear the appropriate safety belt. In addition to their normal protective function, safety belts also hold vehicle occupants in the correct seating position in the event of a collision so that the airbags can deploy correctly and provide additional protection. Safety belts provide protection during collisions when the airbags do not deploy or if they have already deployed.

WARNING

The risk of serious or fatal injury increases if the safety belt is not fastened, if it is worn incorrectly, or if it is damaged.

• All vehicle occupants, including the driver, must fasten their safety belts correctly before every trip and must always keep their safety belts fastened during the trip, regardless of whether the seat is equipped with an airbag or not. This also applies to children that are seated in a child safety seat that is appropriate for their weight and age and that is secured with a safety belt.
• In the event of a collision, vehicle occupants that are not wearing safety belts could be propelled through the vehicle interior and collide with vehicle components, such as the steering wheel, instrument panel, windshield, or doors. In some situations, vehicle occupants could also be ejected from the vehicle.
• Vehicle occupants in the rear seats who do not wear safety belts not only endanger themselves, but also other people in the vehicle.
• Only one person may be fastened with a safety belt at a time. Never secure more than one person, including children, with a single safety belt.
• Never allow children or infants to ride on another person's lap and be belted into the safety belt with them.
• Insert the belt buckle only in the belt latch belonging to the corresponding seat, so that the protective function is not impaired.
• To ensure the maximum protective function of the safety belts, all vehicle passengers must sit in the correct seating position.
• Check the condition of your vehicle's safety belts regularly. If you find damage to the belt webbing, the belt connections, the retractor, or the buckle, have the damaged safety belt replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
• The safety belts must not be removed or modified in any way. Do not attempt to repair the safety belts yourself.
• Safety belts that are strained during an accident must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.

Correct safety belt positioning

Fig. 63 Lap/shoulder belt positioning

Fig. 64 Safety belt positioning for pregnant women

Fastened safety belts only offer optimal protection during an accident and reduce the risk of serious injury or death when they are positioned correctly. Furthermore, the correct safety belt position holds the vehicle occupant in place so that a deployed airbag can provide maximum protection. Therefore, always fasten the safety belt and make sure it is positioned correctly > fig. 63.

To ensure the safety belt is positioned correctly, make sure of the following points:

• The lap portion of the safety belt must be located across the lap.
• The shoulder portion of the safety belt must rest over the center of the shoulder.
• The safety belt must always rest flat and securely on the body.

For pregnant women, the safety belt must rest evenly across the chest and as low and flat as possible on the lap, so that no pressure is applied to the lower abdomen. This should be done throughout the entire pregnancy > fig. 64.

WARNING

Incorrect safety belt positioning can cause serious injury in the event of an accident or during sudden braking or driving maneuvers.

• Never drive with the backrest reclined extremely far. The more the backrest is tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due to the safety belt being routed incorrectly.
• The safety belt itself or a loose safety belt can cause serious injuries if it shifts onto soft areas of the body, such as the stomach.
• The shoulder portion of the safety belt must lie over the center of the shoulder and chest, and never under the arm, behind the back, or across the neck or face.
• The lap portion of the safety belt must lie across the lap and never over the stomach.
• The safety belt must lie flat and securely on the upper part of the body and the lap.
• The belt webbing must not be pinched or twisted, or rub against sharp edges.
• If the safety belt height is set incorrectly and/or the safety belt is routed incorrectly, then the safety belt's protective function will be impaired in the event of an accident.

  Make sure the safety belt is at the right height and is routed correctly for the passenger using it.

• A safety belt that is too loose may lead to injuries during an accident, because your body will move farther forward due to kinetic energy and will be stopped abruptly by the belt.
• Heavily bulky, loose clothing (for example, a coat over a sports jacket) may prevent the seat and safety belts from functioning correctly.
• Do not position the safety belt over hard or breakable objects (such as glasses, pens, etc.).
• The lap belt portion of the safety belt must sit as low as possible on the lap of pregnant women and lie flat under the belly.

Note

Make sure that there are no hook-and-loop fasteners or sharp objects such as zippers or rivets on clothing in the area where the safety belt is worn. Otherwise, the safety belt could be damaged.

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