Hyundai Tucson: Seats & Safety System / Important Safety Precautions

You will find many safety precautions and recommendations throughout this section, and throughout this manual. The safety precautions in this section are among the most important.

Always Wear Your Seat Belt

A seat belt is your best protection in all types of accidents. Airbags are designed to supplement seat belts, not to replace them. So even though your vehicle is equipped with airbags, always make sure you and your passengers wear your seat belts, and wear them properly.

Restrain All Children

All children under age 13 should ride in your vehicle properly restrained in a rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and small children should be restrained in an appropriate Child Restraint System. Larger children should use a booster seat with the lap/shoulder belt until they can use the seat belt properly without a booster seat.

Airbag Hazards

While airbags can save lives, they can also cause serious or fatal injuries to occupants who sit too close to them, or who are not properly restrained. Infants, young children, and short adults are at the greatest risk of being injured by an inflating airbag. Follow all instructions and warnings in this manual.

Driver Distraction

Driver distraction presents a serious and potentially deadly danger, especially for inexperienced drivers. Safety should be the first concern when behind the wheel and drivers need to be aware of the wide array of potential distractions, such as drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating, personal grooming, becoming distracted from other passengers, and using mobile phones.

Drivers can become distracted when they take their eyes and attention off the road or their hands off the wheel to focus on activities other than driving. To reduce your risk of distraction and an accident:

• Set up your mobile devices (for example, MP3 players, phones, navigation units, etc.) ONLY when your vehicle is safely stopped and parked.
• ONLY use your mobile device when allowed by laws and conditions permit safe use. NEVER text or email while driving. Most states have laws prohibiting drivers from texting while driving. Some states and cities also prohibit drivers from using handheld phones while driving.
• NEVER let the use of a mobile device distract you from driving. You have a responsibility to your passengers and others on the road to always drive safely, with your hands on the wheel as well as your eyes and attention on the road.

Never Drink or Take Drugs and Drive.

Drinking alcohol or taking drugs can reduce your ability to respond to changing conditions and emergencies. Do not drink or take drugs and drive, and do not let your friends drink or take drugs and drive.

Control Your Speed

Excessive speed is a major factor in crash injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher the speed, the greater the risk, but serious injuries can also occur at lower speeds. Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the maximum speed posted.

Keep Your Vehicle In Proper Operating Condition - Inspecting Your Tires

Having a tire blowout or a mechanical failure can be extremely hazardous. To reduce the possibility of a tire hazard while driving, check your tire pressures regularly and also inspect the condition of your tires (tread depth, uneven wear, etc.). Be sure to perform all regularly scheduled maintenance as indicated in your Owner's Manual.

Reducing the Risk of a Rollover

Your multi-purpose passenger vehicle is defined as a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). Some SUVs have higher ground clearance and a narrower track to make them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road applications. The specific design characteristics can give them a higher center of gravity than ordinary passenger vehicles making them more likely to roll over if you make abrupt turns. SUVs have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. Always make sure you and your passengers wear your seat belts properly and securely. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to be seriously injured or killed than a person wearing a seat belt.

There are steps that a driver can make to reduce the risk of a rollover. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers, do not load your vehicle with heavy cargo on the roof, and never modify your vehicle in any way.

WARNING

Some Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) can have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. To prevent rollovers or loss of control:

• Take corners at slower speeds than you would with a passenger vehicle.
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers.
• Do not modify your vehicle in any way that you would raise the center of gravity.
• Keep tires properly inflated.
• Do not carry heavy cargo on the roof.

WARNING

Fasten your seat belt properly. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to be seriously injured or killed than a person wearing a seat belt.