weight AUDI A4 2018 Owners Manual

-Applies to: vehicles with convenience key: Press
the~ button or the lr! button in the luggage
compartment lid, or
- You push the handle in the luggage compart­
ment lid, or
- When something blocks the luggage compa rt­
ment lid or makes it difficu lt for the lid to
move.
I f you press the handle or one of
the~ or lr! but ­
tons (vehicles w ith convenience key*) now, the
luggage compartment lid will either open or
close, depending on its angle .
_&. WARNING
-After closing the luggage compartment lid,
make sure that it is latched. Otherwise the
luggage compartment lid could open sud­
denly when driving, which increases the risk
of an accident.
- Pay careful attent ion when closing the lug­
gage compartment lid . Otherw ise, you could
cause serious inj ury to yourself or othe rs de­
spite the pinch protection .
- To reduce the risk of p inch ing injur ies, al­
ways make sure that no one is in the operat­
ing area of the luggage compartment lid; in­
cluding the hinge areas and the upper and
lower edge of the luggage compartment lid .
- Never dr ive with the luggage compartmen t
lid ajar or open, because poisonous gases
can enter the vehicle interior and create the
risk of asphyxiation.
- If there is a luggage rack (such as a bicycle
rack) on the luggage compartment lid, the
luggage compartment lid may not open
completely under certain circumstances or it
could close by itself if open due to the extra
weight. To reduce the r isk of injury, the
open luggage compartment l id must there­
fore have add itiona l support or the cargo
must first be removed from the rack.
(D Tips
- The settings in the Infota inment system de­
termine if the luggage compartme nt lid ca n
be opened us ing the
handle <=> page 41.
Openin g an d clos ing
-There are audio signa ls when closing the
luggage compartment lid with the remote
control key (vehicles with convenience key*)
or with
the~ button in the dr iver's door.
- When the vehicle is locked, the luggage
compartment lid can be unlocked separately
by pressing
the~ button on the remote
control key. The luggage compartment lid
locks automatically when it is closed again.
- Applies to: vehicles with convenience key:
The luggage compartment lid can be closed
w ith the convenience from a distance up to
approximately 9 ft (3 m).
- The luggage compartment lid can be oper­
ated manually if the vehicle battery is low.
It is necessary to use more force when doing
this. Move the lid s low ly to reduce the
amount of fo rce needed.
- When the t railer socket is being used (for
example, for a bicycle rack), the luggage
compar tment lid can be opened a nd closed
using the handle or the foot mot ion activa­
tion (vehicles w ith convenience key*) .
- In case of an emergency o r a fau lty handle,
the luggage compartment lid can be opened
manually from the
insider=> page 46.
Opening /closing the luggage compartment
lid with foot motion activation (kicking
movement )
Applies to: vehicles with convenience key and sensor-control­
led luggage compartment lid
Fig . 35 Rear of the veh icle: foot movement
Applies to: sedan
You can open the luggage compartment lid with
foot motion activation.
.,.
45

Opening and clo sin g
Applies to: all road
You can open and close the luggage compart­
ment lid with foot motion activation .
Requirements: you must be carrying your vehicle
key with you. You must be standing at the center
behind the luggage compartment lid. You shou ld
be approximately 8 in (20 cm) from the rea r of
the vehicle . The ign ition must be switched off.
Make sure you have firm footing.
- Move your foot back and forth be low the bump­
er ~ fig. 35 . Do not touch the bumper. The lug­
gage compartment lid will open/close once the
system detects the movement.
The luggage compartment lid will only open/ close if you perfo rm the movement as described.
This prevents the luggage compartment lid from
ope ning o r closing due to simi lar movements,
such as when you walk between the rear of the
vehicle and your garage door.
The closing of the luggage compartment lid is in­
d icated by a warning signal and can be cance led
by making the described movement again.
The foot movement does not loc k the vehicle.
General inform ation
In some situations, the function may be limited
or temporar ily unava ilable . This may happen if:
- the luggage compartment lid was closed imme­
diately before
- you park close to a hedge and the branches
move back and forth under the vehicle for a
long period of time
-you clean your vehicle, for example with a pres­ sure washer or in a car wash
- there is heavy rain
-the bumper is very dirty, for example after driv-
ing on salt-covered roads
-there is interfe rence to the radio signa l from
the vehicle key, such as from cell phones or re­
mote controls
A WARNING
-Pay careful attention when closing the lug­
gage compartment lid. Otherw ise, you could
46
cause serious injury to yourse lf or others de­
spite the pinch protection.
- To reduce the risk of pinching injuries, a l­
ways make sure that no one is in the operat­
ing area of the luggage compartment lid; in­
cluding the hinge areas and the upper and
lower edge of the luggage compartment lid .
- Never drive with the luggage compartment
lid ajar or open, because poisono us gases
can enter the vehicle interior and create the
risk of asphyx iat ion.
- Ap plies to: allroa d: If there is a luggage rack
(such as a bicycle rack) on the luggage com­
partment lid, the luggage compar tment lid
may not open completely under certain cir­
cumstances, o r it co uld close by itself if
open due to the extra weight. To reduce t he
risk of injury, the open luggage compart­
ment lid must therefore have additional
support or the cargo must f irst be removed
from the rack.
Trunk escape latch
Appl ies to : vehicles with trunk escape latc h
In case of on emergency, the rear lid con be
opened from the inside using the trunk escape
latch.
Fig. 36 Luggage compartment: Trunk escape latc h
11> Push the latch in the di rect ion of the arrow un­
til the lock re leases.
The trunk escape latch inside the rear lid is made
of fluorescent material to glow in the dark.
A WARNING
The t runk escape latch is to be used only in an
emergency.

Sea ts and stor age
-Nets* on the left/right luggage compartment
trim pane l
-Tie-downs * on the left/right luggage compart­
ment trim panel
-Bag hooks* in the luggage compartmen t
A WARNING
-
-Always keep the g love compartment lid
closed w hile d riving to reduce the risk of in­
jury .
-Only use the storage compartments in the
door trim pane ls to store small objects that
will not st ick o ut of the compartment and
impa ir the range of the side a irbags.
-Due to strength reasons, on ly secure objects
up to 11 lbs (S kg) with the tie-downs*.
Heav ier objects are not adequately secured.
The re
i.s risk of perso nal injury.
- Make sure that the view to the rear is not
obstructed by hanging garments.
- Hang only lightweight cloth ing and be sure
that there are no heavy or sharp-edged ob­
jects in the pockets.
- Do not use coat hangers to hang the cloth­
ing because this could impair the effective­
ness of the side curta in airbags.
Luggage compartment
General information
A WARNING
Read and follow the important safety precau­
tions in
q page 259, Storing cargo correctly .
Luggage compartment cover
Applies to: vehicles with luggage compartment cover
F ig . 75 Luggage compa rtment: cove r attached
70
Fig. 76 Luggage compa rtment: remov ing and install ing
the lu ggage compartment cover
Attaching
.,. Pull the cover out and attach it in the mounting
eyelets in the side trim
panel ¢ fig. 75.
Removing
.,. Pull the lever in the direction of the arrow
q fig. 76 and remove the cover upward.
Installing
.,. Place the left and rig ht sides of the cover into
the mounts on the s ide trim panel.
.,. Push the cover downward unt il it clicks into
place .
A WARNING
The luggage compartment cover is not a sur­
face for storing objects. Objects placed on the
cover could endange r all vehicle occupants
d uring sudden b raking maneuvers or in a
crash.
(D Note
Let the luggage compartment cover roll up
slow ly to reduce the risk of damage .

Sea ts and stor age
Reversible cargo floor
Applies to: vehicles with reve rs ible cargo f loor
You can transport dirty and damp objects in the
reversible cargo area floor .
Fig . 86 Luggage compartment: cargo area floor
Fig . 87 Luggage compartment: cargo area floor reversed
Reve rsing the cargo area floor
.,. L ift up the cargo area floo r using the handle
-arrow-
c::> fig . 86.
.,. Flip the floor over and install it .
Roof rack
Applies to: sedan
Fig. 88 Roof : mounting points for the roof rack
74
Applies to: allroad
Fig. 89 Roof: mount ing points for the roof rack
If luggage or cargo is to be ca rr ied on the roof,
you m ust observe the fo llow ing:
- On ly a specially designed roof rack may be used
on you r vehicle. These roof racks are the bas is
for a comple te roof rack system. Additional at­
t achments/ca rrier systems are necessary to
transpo rt luggage and spo rts equipment. We
recommend roof racks and attachments from
the Audi Genuine Accessories program.
- When installing the roo f rack, make sure that it
is mounted only at the designated points on
the roof
c::> fig. 88 or c::> fig. 89.
- The max imum permissib le roof load for your
vehicle is 200 lbs (90 kg). The roof load is the
total of the weight of the roof rack, the attach­
ments and the cargo you are carrying. However,
please note the permissib le load of the carrier
system being used, the permissible axle loads
and the permissible total vehicle weight
c::> page 3 79.
.&_ WARNING
- Follow the install ation instru ct ions prov ided
w ith the roof rack system.
If you do not se­
cure the roof rack system and objects on the
roof correctly, they could come loose from
the vehicle and ca use an accident.
- The risk of an accident increases when using
a roof rack system, because it changes the
driving characterist ics by shifting the center
of grav ity and/or the increasing the surface
area exposed to wind. Adapt your driving
and speed to the current cond itions.
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engaged, for example when you notice that the next traffic light is red . This produces an engine
braking effect, which helps to protect the brakes
and tires and reduces the emissions and fuel con ­
sumpt ion to zero (fuel shut-off dur ing decelera­
tion) .
Shift efficiently
Upshifting earlier is an effective way to save fuel.
Staying in a gear too long uses fuel unnecessari­
ly.
Applies to: vehicles with manual transmission
Shift as soon as possible from first to second
gear. S hifting to the next highest gear at approxi­
mately 2,000 RPMs if poss ible is recommended.
Applies to: vehicles with automatic transmissions
Press down on the acce le rator peda l slowly and
avoid "kick -down".
Avoid full acceleration
You should rarely travel at the maximum vehicle
speed. High speeds cause a disproportionately
high increase in fuel consumption, emissions and
traffic noise. Driving more slowly saves fuel.
Reduce idling time
The Start/Stop system* he lps to reduce the idling
time automatically. In vehicles without the Start/
Stop system*, it is efficient to switch the engine
off when stopped at railroad cross ings and long
r ed lights. Stopping the engine for 30-40 sec­
onds already saves more fuel than the amount of
extra fuel needed to restart the eng ine.
It takes a very long time in idle to warm the en­
g ine up to operating temperature. Wear and
emissions are especially h igh in the wa rm-up
phase . Therefore, you should begi n driving im­
mediately a fter starting the engine . Avoid high
RPMs while do ing this .
Have maintenance performed regularly
By having maintenance performed regu larly on
your veh icle, yo u ca n he lp to reduce f uel con­
sumption before yo u even start to drive. The
maintenance condition of your vehicle not only
affects traffic safety and long-term value but a l-
Driving
so impacts fuel consumption . A poorly main ­
tained engine can lead to fuel consumption that is 10% higher than norma l.
Avoid short trips
The eng ine and exhaust cleaning system must
reach their optimal operat ing temperatu re to ef­
f ectively reduce consumption and emissions.
A cold engine uses a disproportionately high
amount of fue l. The engine reaches operating
temperat ure and consumption normalizes on ly
after approximate ly 2.5 miles (4 km).
Check the tire pressure
To save fuel, make sure the tires are always in­
flated to the correct press ure
~ page 344. The
fuel consumption can increase by 5% if the pres­
s u re is only 0.5 bar too low. Due to the increased
rolling resistance, low tire pressures wi ll also
l ead to greater tire wear and will affect driving
behavior.
Do not drive on winter tires year-round, as this
will consume up to 10% more fuel.
Eliminate unnecessary weight
S in ce eve ry po und of ext ra weight increases f uel
consumption , a quick inspection of the luggage
compartment may be worth it to avoid unneces ­
sary weight .
When not be ing used , a roof rack should be re­
moved to decrease the wind resistance of the ve­
hicle. This will save you approximately 12% fuel
at speeds from 62 -75 mph (100 - 120 km/h) .
Save energy
The eng ine drives the generator, which generates
electric ity; the fuel consumpt io n also incr eases
with the demand for electr icity. The refore, switch
electrical eq uipment off when you no longer
need it . Examples of equipment that uses a lo t of
energy are air blowers at a high setting, the rear
window defogger and seat heating* .
@ Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after
starting. If warning lights shou ld come on to
indicate improper operation, they would go
81

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Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­ my and performance.
Trailer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount . Always check with the trail­
er hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system. No modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From time to time, check that all hitch mounting
bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer,
remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount . This prevents the hitch
from causing damage shou ld your vehicle be
struck from beh ind ¢
,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
Trailer towing
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake
system ¢.&. .
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
T ra iler lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check w ith your author ized Audi dealer for cor­
rect wiring, switches and relays.
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outside mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors. It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
,8. WARNING
After removing the traile r hitch, do not store
it in your vehicle. In case of sudden braking,
the hitch could fly forward and injure you or
your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer ¢.&.
in Driver messages on page 100 .
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the tire pressure listed under "Full
load" on the label ¢ page 344. Inflate trailer
99

Trailer towing
tires to tra iler and tire manufacturers ' specifica­
tions.
Lights
The headlig ht settings should be chec ked with
the t railer at tached before d riving off. Check to
make su re both vehicle and trailer lights are
wo rking properly.
Safety chains
Be sure t railer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trai le r to the h itch on the veh icle.
L eave enough sla ck in the c ha ins to permi t turn­
ing corners . When you install safety chains, ma ke
sure they wi ll not drag on the road when yo u are
driv ing .
The cha ins shou ld cross u nder the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropp ing in case of separation
from the h itch .
Driver messages
Driving with a trailer requires extra caution.
Weight d istribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car resu lts
in a hig hly unstable dist ribution of weight . If this
cannot be avo ided, drive at very low speeds on ly
to avoid the risk of losing s teering con trol.
A "balanced " rig is eas ier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible , while
keep ing the tra ile r as lig ht as possib le under t he
circumstances . Whenever possible, t ransfer
some cargo to the l uggage compartment of the
tow vehicle whi le observ ing tongue load req uire­
ments and ve hicle loading conside rat ions.
Speed
The h igher the speed, the more d ifficult i t be­
comes for the drive r to contro l the rig. Do not
d rive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weath er or w ind
conditions are unfavorable
-part icularly when
going downhill.
100
Reduce vehicle speed immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not try
to stop the swa ying by a ccelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some a reas, speeds fo r
vehicles towing tra ilers are lower than for regular
vehicles .
Always apply bra kes early. Whe n driving down­
hill, shift in to a lower gea r to use the eng ine
b raking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of the
bra kes alone can cause them to overheat and fai l.
Coolant temperature
The coo lant tempe rat ure gauge 9 page 11 must
be obse rved caref ully. The coolant temperature
can increase i f you drive o n long inclines in a low
gear at high engine speeds . Reduce your speed
immediately if the LEDs in th e top part of the dis­
play turn on.
For more info rmation abou t indicator lig hts, re­
fer
to . ~page 30 .
A WARNING
Anyone not prope rly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wear ing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer towing
information
' Important to know
-
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
trailer because of the addit ional weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how ca refu l­
l y you load your tra ile r and ope rate yo ur rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, pract ice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic . Keep pract icing u ntil you have be­
come complete ly familiar w ith the way yo ur vehi­
cl e- tra ile r combination behaves and respo nds.

Driving sa fe ty
Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift s udden ly, changing vehicle handling charac­
ter istics. Loose items can also increase the risk of
serious personal in jury in a sudden vehicle
ma­
neuver or in a coll is ion.
.,. Distribute the load evenly in the luggage com­
partment .
.,. Always place and properly secure heavy items in
the luggage compartment as low and as far for­
ward as possible
c> fig . 226 .
.,. Secure luggage us ing the tie-downs provided
¢ page 73 .
.,. Make su re that the rea r seatbac k is securely
latched in place.
A WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or othe r items can
fly through the vehicle causing serious per­
sonal injury in the event of hard braking or an
accident. To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
- Always put objects, for example, luggage or
other heavy items in the luggage compart­
ment.
- Always sec ure objects in the luggage com­
partment using the tie-down eyelets and
s u itable straps.
A WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehi­
cle handles. To he lp reduce the r isk of a loss
of contro l leading to serious pe rsonal i njury:
- Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a change i n the center of
grav ity can also cause changes in vehicle
hand ling:
- Always distr ibute the load as even ly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in the
luggage compartment as poss ible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
o r the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating specified
on the safety compliance sticker on the driv­
er's side B-pillar respective ly on the front
end of the driver's door. Exceeding permissi­
ble weight standards can cause the veh icle
to slide and handle differently .
260
-Please observe info rmation on safe driving
¢page 254.
A WARNING
To he lp prevent po isonous exhaust gas from
being drawn into the vehicle, always keep the
rear lid closed while driving.
- Never transport objects larger than those
fitting completely into the luggage area be­
cause the rear lid cannot be fully closed.
- If you absolutely must dr ive with the rear lid
open, observe the following notes to reduce
the risk of poisoning :
- C lose all windows,
- Close the s unroof*,
- Open all a ir outlets in the instrument pan-
el,
- Switc h off the air reci rculat ion,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
A WARNING
-
Always make sure that the doo rs, all win­
dows, the sunroof * an d the rear lid are se­
curely closed and locked to red uce the risk of
i n jury when the veh icle is not being used.
- After closing the rear lid, always make sure
that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your ve hicle unattended espe­
cially with the rear lid left open. A child
co uld crawl into the vehicle th rough the lug­
g age com partment an d close the rea r lid
be­
coming tr apped and unab le to ge t out . Be­
ing trapped in a vehicle can lead to ser ious
pe rsonal i nju ry.
- Never let c hild ren p lay in or around the vehi­
cle.
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compa rtment. Vehicle occupants mus t
al­
ways be p roperly restrained in one of the ve ­
hicle's seat ing pos itions.
(D Tips
- Air circul ation helps to reduce w indow fog­
ging . Stale ai r escapes to the o uts ide
t h roug h vents in the trim panel. Be sure to
keep these slots free and open.

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-The tire pressure must correspond to the
load. The tire pressure label lists the recom­
mended cold tire inflation pressures for the
vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and
the tires that were on your vehicle at the
time it was manufactured. For recommend­
ed tire pressures for normal load condi­
tions, please see chapter
c:> page 345.
Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with four
tie-downs to secure luggage and other items .
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo properly
c:> page 259, Loading the luggage compartment.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even
smaller items that are loose in the vehicle will
become heavy missiles that can cause serious in­
jury. Items in the vehicle possess energy which
vary with vehicle speed and the weight of the
item . Vehicle speed is the most significant factor .
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed of
30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a 10 -lb
(4 .5 kg) object are about 20 times the normal
weight of the item . This means that the weight
of the item would suddenly be about
200 lbs . (90 kg). You can imagine the injuries
that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flying free ly through
the passenger compartment could cause in a col ­
lision like this.
A WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used to
secure items to tie-downs can fail during hard braking or in a collision and cause serious per­
sonal injury.
- Always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help prevent
items from shifting or flying forward as dan­
gerous missiles .
-When the rear seat backrest is folded down,
always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help prevent
items from flying forward as dangerous
missiles into the passenger compartment .
-
Driving safety
-Never attach a child safety seat tether strap
to a tie-down.
Reporting Safety Defects
Applicable to U.S.A.
If you believe that your vehicle
has a defect which could cause a
crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immediately in­
form the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
addition to notifying Audi of
America, Inc.
If NHTSA receives similar com­
plaints, it may open an investiga­
tion, and if it finds that a safety
defects exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and
remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you,
your dealer, or Audi of America,
Inc.
To contact the N HTSA, you may
either call:
Tel.:
1-888-327-4236 (TTY:
1-800-424-9153) or
1 -800- 424-9393
or you may write to:
261

Safety belts
Why use safety belts?
Frontal collisions and the law of physics
Frontal crashes create very strong forces for peo­
ple riding in vehicles .
Fig. 228 Unbelted occupants in a veh icle headi ng fo r a wall
Fig. 229 T he vehicle c rashes into the wall
The physical principles are simple. Both the vehi­
cle and the passengers possess energy which var­ ies w ith vehicle speed and body weight . Engi­
neers call this energy "k inetic energy."
The higher the speed of the vehicle and the
greater the vehicle's weight, the more energy
that has to be "absorbed" in the crash.
Vehicle speed is the most significant factor .
If
the speed doubles from 15 to 30 mph (25 to 50
km/h), the energy increases 4 times!
Because the passengers of this vehicle are not us­
ing safety
belts ~ fig. 228, they will keep moving
at the same speed the vehicle was moving just
before the crash, unti l something stops them -
here, the
wall ~ fig. 229.
The same principles apply to people sitting in a
vehicle that is involved in a frontal collision . Even
at c ity speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h),
the forces acting on the body can reach one ton
264 (2,000 lbs.
or 1,000 kg) or more . At greater
speeds, these forces are even higher.
People who do not use safety belts are also not
attached to their vehicle. In a frontal collision
they will also keep moving forward at the speed
their vehicle was travelling just before the crash.
Of course, the laws of physics don't just apply to
frontal collisions, they determine what happens in all kinds of accidents and collisions .
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop
themselves from flying forward and being in­
jured or killed . Always wear your safety belts!
Fig. 230 A drive r not wea ring a safety belt is vio len tly
t hrow n fo rward
Fig. 231 A rear passe nge r not wear ing a sa fety belt will f ly
forward an d str ike the driver
Unbelted occupants are not able to res ist the tre­
mendous forces of impact by holding tight or
bracing themselves. Without the benefit of safe­
ty restraint systems, the unrestra ined occupant
will slam violently into the steering wheel, in­
strument panel, windshield, or whatever e lse is
in the
way ~ fig. 230. T his impact with the vehi ­
cle interior has all the energy they had just be-
fore the crash.
liJJ,-