belt AUDI Q7 2018 Owner´s Manual

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::r ' @ Note
The radar sensors can be displaced by impacts
or damage to the bumper, wheel housing and
underbody. Pre sense rear can be impaired by
this. Have an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility check their func­
tion.
(D Tips
- The pre sense rear functions switch off
when towing a trailer.
- The pre sense rear functions may also
switch off if there is a malfunction in the
side assist* system.
Audi pre sense city
Applies to: vehicles with Audi pre sense city
Description
Within the limits of the system, pre sense city
can warn you of impending collisions with
vehicles and pedestrians and initiate the applica­
ble braking maneuver if needed. Pre sense city is
active at speeds of approximately 6 mph (10 km/
h) and higher.
A pedestrian warning can occur at speeds up to
SO mph (85 km/h), and vehicle warnings can oc­
cur at speeds up to 155 mph (250 km/h). A pre
sense city braking maneuver is possible at speeds up to SO mph (85 km/h).
Warnings
The system recognizes various dangerous situa­
tions. The
early warning occurs if:
- a vehicle driving ahead brakes suddenly,
- your own vehicle approaches a significantly
slower vehicle or stationary vehicle in the direc­
tion of travel.
- a pedestrian is standing in the lane or is moving
into the lane .
When this warning occurs, it may only be possi­ ble to avoid a collision by swerving or braking
strongly. The message
Audi pre sense.
r:=;, page 113, fig. 108 and a warning tone will
warn you about the danger .
Assistance systems
Additionally, a jerk on the brakes may occur as an
acute warning when there is an impending colli­
sion. If you do not react to the acute warning, pre
sense city can brake to the point of complete de­
celeration within the limits of the system. This
reduces the vehicle speed in the event of a colli ­
sion. The message
Audi pre sense. also ap­
pears.
The following functions are triggered in conjunc­
tion with pre sense basic/rear:
- Reversible tensioning of the front safety belts.
- Closing the windows and sunroof*.
- Inflating the side bolsters* in the seat backrest
and seat surface.
Audi drive select*: the function is not active de­ pending on the mode selected.
_&. WARNING
- Pre sense city cannot overcome the laws of
physics.
It is a system designed to assist and
it cannot prevent a collision in every circum­
stance. The driver must always intervene.
The driver is always responsible for braking
at the correct time. Do not let the increased
safety provided tempt you into taking risks .
This could increase your risk of a collision.
- The system can deploy incorrectly due to
system-specific limits .
- To reduce the risk of an accident, please
note that the camera does not always detect
every object.
- Pre sense city does not react to animals,
crossing or oncoming vehicles, objects such
as bars, railings or railcars, and objects that
are difficult to detect
r:=;, _& in General infor­
mation on page 103.
- In trailer mode, the braking behavior of the
trailer can be different than usual during au­
tomatic braking.
_&. WARNING
Pre sense city may be restricted or not availa­
ble in the following example situations:
- in heavy fog, rain, spray or snow
- when there are visual obstructions, such as
glare, reflections or variations in light
115

Ass is tanc e system s
-when it is dark
- if the camera window or the windshie ld is
dirty, iced over, damaged or covered
- when driving on snow, ice or loose gro und
- i n cu rves
- if t he ESC was restr icted o r switched off
- when tow ing a tra ile r
- when the driver's seat belt is unfastened
- up to ten seconds after sw itching on the ig-
nition
@ Note
Impacts or damage to the camera mount on
the windshield can disp lace the sensor . Pre
sense city can be impa ired by this. Have an au­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Aud i Serv­
ice Facility check the ir funct ion.
(D Tips
- You can cancel the system braking interven ­
tion if you accelerate considerably or swerve
away .
- Keep in m ind that pre sense city can brake
unexpected ly. Always secure any cargo or
objects that you are transport ing to reduce
the r isk of damage or injur y.
- Specific pre sense city funct ions sw itch off
when the ESC is limited o r switched off
~ page 143 or the hill desce nt assist is
switched on
~ page 144 .
-When there is a malfunct ion in the camera,
the pre sense city funct ions also sw itc h off.
Settings in the Infotainment system
Applies to: vehicles with Aud i pre sense
.,. Se lect in the Infota inment system: IMENU I but­
t on
> Vehicle > left contro l bu tton > Driv er a s­
si stance
> Audi pre s ense .
Turn on/ off Audi pre s ense -
the pre sense fu nc­
tions c an be t urned o n and off.
If t he system is switched off, it switches o n aga in
automatically once the ignition is sw itched on
again.
116
Prewarning -the early warning can be sw itched
off or the pre sense city/front warning point can
be set
( Early /Medium /Late) .
Set the warn ing t ime for the early wa rning to
Earl y at first . If this causes undesi red ear ly warn­
ings to appear, then set the warning time to
Me­
dium .
The Late warning time should on ly be set
i n spec ial circumstances, for examp le, when driv­
i ng with a very dynamic style.
(D Tips
Your settings are automatically stored and as ­
signed to the remote contro l key being used.
Messages
Applies to: vehicles with Audi pre sense
IIJ Audi pre se n se: mal function! Pl ease con tac t
Service
This message appears when the pre sense func­
tion is affected . For example, th is cou ld be
caused by a faulty sensor. Drive to an authorized
Audi dealer or author ized Audi Service Fac il ity im ­
med iate ly to have the ma lfu nction corrected .
II] Audi pre sense: currently limited . Sensor
v iew lim ited due to surroundings. See owner 's
manual
This message appears if the radar sensor and camera view is obstructed, for example by leaves,
snow, heavy spray or dirt . If necessary, clean the
sensors and the area around the camera
~ page 103, fig . 95 or ~page 121, fig . 115 .
II] Audi pre sense: currently limited . Trailer
towing mod e
For vehicles with a trai ler hitch installed at the
factory, the pre sense rear functions switc h off
when the electrical connector at the socket is
plugged in . There is no guarantee the functions
will switc h off when us ing a retrofitted trailer
hitc h.
II] Audi pre sense: currently restricted
This message appears if the ESC is restricted or
switched off, for example. .,,.

Drivin g saf ety
Driving safety
Basics
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
The individua l safety features of your vehicle can
work together as a system to help protect you
and your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if they
are not always correctly adjusted and correctly
used .
This chapter contains important informat ion,
tips, instruct ions and warn ings that you need to
read and observe for your own safety, the safety
of you r passengers and others . We have summar­
ized here w hat you need to know about safety
be lts, a irbags, child restra ints as well as child
safety. Yo ur safety is for us priority number 1. Al­
ways observe the information and warnings in
this section -for your own safety as we ll as that
of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle . Some of the fea­
tures described in this sections may be standard
equipment on some models, or may be optional
equ ipment on others. If you are not sure, ask
your author ized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
structions and heed the WARNINGS in th is
manual.
It is in your inte rest and in the in­
te rest of your passengers .
-
-Always keep all of the Owner's L iterature
manuals in yo ur Audi when you lend o r sell
yo ur vehicle so that this import ant informa­
t ion w ill alw ays be availab le to the dr iver
and passengers.
- Always keep the Owner 's Lite ra ture han dy
so that you can find it easi ly if yo u have
questions .
252
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant
safety always depends on the informed and care­
ful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
bef ore dri ving alw ays:
.. Make sure that a ll lights and signals are operat­
ing correctly .
.. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
.. Make sure that all windows are clean and afford
good vis ibility to the outs ide .
.. Sec ure all luggage and othe r items ca refully
¢ page
257 .
.. Make sure tha t noth ing ca n interfere wi th the
peda ls .
.. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height.
.. Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to their he ight.
.. Make sure to use the right child restraint cor­
rectly to protect children¢ page 291, Child
safety .
• Sit proper ly in yo ur seat a nd make sure t hat
your passenge rs do the same ¢ page 54, Front
seats .
.. Fasten your sa fety belt and wear it p roperly . Al ­
so instruct your passengers to fasten their safe­
ty be lts properly ¢ page 261 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle, the driver as well as the driver's abili­
ty to concentrate on the rood without being dis­
tracted.
The driver is responsib le for the safety of the ve ­
hicle and a ll of its occupants. If your ability to
drive is impa ired, safety risks for everybody in the
vehicle increase and you a lso become a hazard to
everyone else on the road ¢
_&.. Therefore:
.. Do not let yourse lf be distracted by passenge rs
or by using a cellular telephone .
.. NEVER drive when your driving ability is im­
paired (by med ications, alcohol, drugs, etc .) .
.. Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and
speed lim its and plain common sense . .,.

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:E ' ~ ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and
weather conditions.
~ Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive
for more than two hours at a stretch.
~ Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pres­
sure or when you are stressed .
A WARNING
Impaired driv ing safety increases the risk of
ser ious personal inju ry and death whenever a
vehicle is being used .
Correct passenger
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving .
Fig. 219 Correc t seating pos ition
F or your own s afety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the driver 's seat to the following
position:
~ Adjust the dr iver's seat so tha t you can easily
push the pedals all the way to the f loor wh ile
keeping your knee(s) s light ly bent
c::> _& .
~ Adjust the ang le of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position so that your back comes in
full contact w ith it when you drive.
~ Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a dis­
tance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the
stee ring wheel and you r breast bone
c::> fig. 219.
If no t possib le, see you r autho riz ed Aud i dea le r
abo ut adapt ive eq uipment.
Dri ving safety
~ Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering
wheel and airbag
cover points at your chest and
not at yo ur face.
~ Grasp the top of the steering wheel with your
elbow(s) slightly bent.
~ Adjust the head restra int so the upper edge is
as
even as possible w ith the top of your head . If
that is not possib le, t ry to adjust the head re­
straint so that it is as close to this posit ion as
possible .
~ Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
c::>page 264.
~ Always keep both feet in the footwell so that
you are in contro l of the ve hicle at a ll times.
F or detailed information on how to adj ust the
drive r's seat, see
c::> page 54 .
A WARNING
-
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in­
jured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help re­ d uce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always ad just the driver's seat and the
steer ing whee l so that there are at least
10 inc hes (25 cm) between you r breastbone
and the steering wheel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the out­
side of the steering wheel r im with your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o' clock posi­
tions to help reduce the risk of personal in­
ju ry if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the stee ring wheel at the
12 o' clock position o r with you r hands at
o ther posi tions ins ide the s teer ing whee l
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding
the steering wheel the wrong way can cause
serio us injuries to the hands, arms and head
if the dr iver's airbag dep loys.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supplemen­ tal driver's airbag to protect you in a coll i­
sion.
- Always sit in an upright position and never
lean aga inst or place any part of your body
too close to the area where the airbags are located .
253

Driving safety
-Before driving, always adjust the front seats
and head restraints properly and make sure
that all passengers are properly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is
moving. Your seat may move unexpectedly
and you could lose control of the vehicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper seating position .
- Children must always ride in child safety seats¢
page 291 . Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat
c:> page 269.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is
important for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the seat for the front passenger
to the following position:
.,. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position and your back comes in full
contact with it whenever the vehicle is moving .
... Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge is
as even as possible with the top of your head. If
that is not possible, try to adjust the head re­ straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible¢
page 58.
... Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the
front passenger seat .
.,. Fasten and wear safety belts correct­
ly¢
page 264.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see ¢
page 54.
A WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out
of position or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured or killed by the airbag as it
unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
254
- Passengers must always sit in an upright po­
sition and never lean against or place any
part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of posi­
tion or too close to the airbag can be seri­
ously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front pas­
senger's breastbone and the instrument
panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat.
- Before driving, always adjust the front pas­
senger seat and head restraint properly.
- Always keep your feet on the floor in front
of the seat. Never rest them on the seat, in­
strument panel, out of the window, etc. The
airbag system and safety belt will not be
able to protect you properly and can even in­
crease the risk of injury in a crash.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt
and improper seating position.
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats ¢
page 291. Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat
c::> page 269.
Proper seating positions for passengers in
rear seats
Rear seat passengers must sit upright with both
feet on the floor consistent with their physical
size and be properly restrained whenever the ve­
hicle is in use.
To reduce the risk of injury caused by an incorrect
seating position in the event of a sudden braking
maneuver or an accident, your passengers on the
rear bench seat must always observe the follow­
ing :
... If there are passengers on the outer rear seats,
adjust the head restraints so the upper edge is .,.

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:E ' as even as possible with the top of your head. If
that is not possible, try to adjust the head re­
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible. If there is a passenger in the center
rear seat, slide the head restraint upward
c:>page 58.
• Make sure that the seatback is securely latched
in the upright pos ition
r:::;, page 63 .
• Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of
the rear seat .
• Fasten and wear safety be lts properly
,:;;;,page 264.
• Make sure that children are always properly re­
strained in a child restraint that is appropriate
for their size and ager:::;,
page 291.
A WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on the
rear seat can be seriously injured in a crash.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat .
- Safety belts only offer max imum p rotection
when the seatback is securely latched in the
upr ight position and the safety be lts are
prope rly pos itioned on the body. By not sit­
t ing upright, a rea r seat passenger increases
the risk of personal in jury from improperly
posit ioned safety belts !
- Always adjust the head rest raint properly so
that it can g ive maximum protection.
Dri ving safety
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an impor­
tant part of your vehicle's occupant restraint sys­
tem and can help to reduce the risk of injuries in
accident situations.
F ig . 2 2 0 Head restraint: v iewed from t he front
The head restraints must be correctly adjusted to
achieve the best protection.
• Adjust the head restraints so the upper edge is
as even as possib le with the top of your head. If
that is not possible, try to adjust the head re­
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible . Position* the head restraint as close
as possible to the back of your head.
• If there are passengers in rear seat, fold the
head restraints up on the occupied seats .
Adjusting head restraints
r:::;, page 58.
A WARNING
All seats are equipped with head restraints .
Driving w ithout head restraints or w ith head
r est raints that are not properly adjusted in­
creases the r is k of se rious or fata l neck injury
dramat ic al ly. To help reduce the risk of inju ry:
- Always d rive with the head restra ints in
p lace and properly adjusted.
- Every pe rson in the veh icle must have a
p roperly adjusted head restraint.
- Always make sure each person in the veh icle
p roperly adjusts the ir head restraint. Adj ust
the head restraints so the upper edge is as
even as possible wi th the top of your head.
I f that is not poss ible, try to ad just the head
rest raint so that it is as close to this position
as poss ible.
Ill>
255

Drivin g saf ety
- Never attempt to adjust head restraint
wh ile driving. If you have dr iven off and
must adjust the driver headrest for any rea­
son, first stop the vehicle safely before at­
tempting to ad just the head restra int.
- Children must always be properly restrained
in a child restraint that is appropriate for
their age and size
c> page 291 .
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only reduce
the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are properly
seated .
Improper seating positions can cause serious in­
jury or deat h. Safety belts can only work when
they are properly positioned on the body . Im­
proper seating positions reduce the effect iveness
of safety belts and w ill even increase the r isk of
i n ju ry and death by moving the safety be lt to crit­
ical a reas of t he body. Improper seat ing posit ions
a lso increase the risk of serious injury and dea th
when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant
who is not in the proper seating position. A driver is responsib le for the safety of all vehicle occu­
pants and especially for children. Therefore :
~ Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seating position when the vehicle is being used
c> & .
The fo llowing bulletins list only some sample po ­
sitions that wi ll increase the risk of serio us inj ury
and death. Our hope is that these examples will
make you more aware of seating posit ions that
are dangerous.
The refore, when ever th e vehicle i s mo ving :
-never stand up in the vehicle
- never s tand on the seats
- never knee l on the seats
- never r ide with the seatback reclined
- never lie down on the seats
- never lean up against the instrument pane l
- never sit on the edge of the seat
- never sit sideways
- never lea n ou t t he w indow
- never put yo ur feet out the window
256
-never put your feet on the instrument panel
- neve r rest your feet on the seat c ushion or bac k
o f the seat
- neve r ride in the footwell
- never ride in the cargo area
.8, WARNING
Imp roper seating positions in cr ease the risk
of ser ious personal inju ry and dea th whenever
a veh icle is being used.
- Always make sure that all veh icle o ccupants
s tay in a proper sea ting posit ion and a re
proper ly restrained whenever the vehicle is
being used .
Pedal area
Pedals
The pedals must always be free to move and
must never be interfered with by a floor mat or
any other object.
Make sure that all pedals move free ly without in­
terference and that nothing prevents them from retur ning to their or ig inal pos itions .
Only use floor mats that leave the pedal area free
and can be secured with floor mat fasteners.
If a bra ke circuit fails, increased brake pedal trav ­
e l is req uired to bring the vehicle to a fu ll stop.
.8, WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss
of vehicle contro l and increase the r isk of seri­
ous injury.
- Never p lace any objects in the driver's foot­
wel l. An object could get into the pedal area
and interfere with pedal funct ion. In case of
sudden braking or an acc ident, you would
no t be able to brake o r acce le rate!
- Always make sure that nothing can fall or
move into the driver's footwell.

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::r ' Safety belts
General information
Always wear safety belts!
Wearing safety belts correctly saves lives!
This chapter explains why safety be lts are neces­
sary, how they work and how to adjust and wear
them correctly.
~ Read all the information that follows and heed
all of the instructions and WARNINGS.
A WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them im­
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death.
- Safety belts are the s ingle most effective
means ava ilable to reduce the risk of serious
injury and death in automobi le accidents.
For your protection and that of your passen­
gers, always co rrect ly wea r safety be lts
w hen the veh icle is mov ing.
- Pregnant wome n, in ju red, o r physically im­
paired persons mus t also use safety be lts.
Lik e al l vehicle oc cupan ts, they are mo re
li kely to be serio usly injured i f th ey do no t
wear safety be lts . The best way to protect a
fetus is to protect the mothe r - thro ughout
the ent ire pregnancy.
Number of seats
App lies to: Ve hicles w ith five seats: Your vehicle
has two front seats and three rear seats. Each
seating position has a safety belt .
App lies to: Ve hicles w ith seven seats: Your
ve hicles has two front seats, three seats in the
second row and two seats in the third row. Each
seating position has a safety belt .
A WARNING
Not wea ring safety bel ts or wear ing them im­
properly increases the risk of ser io us pe rsonal
inju ry and death.
- Never st rap more tha n one person, i nclud­
ing small c hildre n, into any be lt.
It is espe-
Safet y be lts
cially dangero us to p lace a safety be lt over a
child sitting on yo ur lap.
- Never let more peop le ride in the vehicle
than there are safety be lts available.
- Be s ure everyone riding in the vehicle is
proper ly restrained with a separate safety
be lt o r ch ild rest raint.
Safety belt warning light
Your vehicle has a warning system for the driver
and front seat passenger to remind you about the importance of buckling-up.
F ig . 222 Safety belt wa rning lig ht in t he inst rume nt clus ­
ter - en larged
Before dr iving off , always :
~ Fasten your safety belt and ma ke sure you are
wearing it properly.
"' 0 ,:.
;?;
~ Make sure that you r passengers also b uckl e up
and properly wear their safety belts.
~ Protect children with a c hild restraint system
appropr iate for the size and age .
The warning lig ht . in the instrument cluster
lights up when t he ignit ion is switched on as a re­
minder to fasten the safety be lts. In addition,
you w ill hear a warn ing tone for a certain period
of time.
Fasten your safet y belt and make sure that your
passengers also properly put on their safety
b e lts .
A WARNING
-
-Safety belts are the sing le m ost effect ive
means available to red uce the risk of se riou s
i njur y and death in a utomo bile acci dents.
F or your p rotection and tha t of yo ur
261

Safe ty belts
passenge rs, a lways correct ly wear safety
belts when the vehicle is moving.
- Failure to pay attention to the warning light
that comes on could lead to personal injury.
Why use safety belts?
Frontal collisions and the law of physics
Frontal crashes create very strong forces for peo­
ple riding in vehicles .
Fig. 223 Unbe lted occupants in a vehicle heading for a wall
Fig. 22 4 The vehicle crashes into the wall
The physical princip les are simple . Both the vehi­
cle and the passengers possess energy which var­
ies with vehicle speed and body we ight . Engi­
neers call this energy "kinet ic 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.
Veh icle speed is the most signific ant fac tor .
If
the speed doubles from 15 to 30 mph (25 to 50
km/h), the energy increases 4 times!
Because the passengers of th is veh icle are not us­
i n g safety bel ts
¢fig. 223, they will keep mov ing
at the same speed the ve hicle was moving j ust
262
before the crash, until something stops them -
here, the wall ¢
fig. 224.
The same principles apply to people s itting in a
vehicle that is invo lved in a fronta l collision . Even
at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h),
the forces acting on the body can reach one ton
(2,000 lbs . or 1,000 kg) o r more . At g reater
speeds, these forces are even higher.
People who do not use safety belts are a lso not
attached to their vehicle . In a frontal collision
they will also keep mov ing 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
i n a ll kinds of accide nts and co llisions .
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. 225 A drive r not wearing a safety belt is violently
thrown forward
F ig . 22 6 A rear passe nger not wea ring a safety belt w ill fly
forwa rd and strike the driver
Unbelted occ upants a re not ab le to res ist the tre-
mendous forces of impac t by holdi ng tight o r
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:E ' bracing themselves. Without the benefit of safe­
ty restraint systems , the unr estrained occupant
will slam violently into the steering wheel, in ­
strument panel, windshield , or whatever else is
in the way
c:;, fig. 225 . This impact with the vehi­
cle interior has all the energy they had just be ­
fore the crash.
Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even
when they deploy , airbags provide only additional
protection . Airbags are not supposed to deploy in
all kinds of accidents. Although your Audi is
equipped with airbags, all vehicle occupants, in­
cluding the driver, must wear safety belts cor­
rectly in order to minimize the risk of severe in­
jury or death in a crash.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only
once and that your safety belts are always there
to offer protection in those accidents in which
airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they
have already deployed. Unbelted occupants can
also be thrown out of the vehicle where even more severe or fatal injuries can occur.
It is also important for the rear passengers to
wear safety belts correctly. Unbelted passengers in the rear seats endanger not only themselves
but also the driver and other passengers
c:;, fig. 226 . In a frontal collision they will be
thrown forward violently, where they can hit and injure the driver and/or front seat passenger .
Safety belts protect
People think it's possible to use the hands to
brace the body in a minor collision . It's simply
not true!
Fig. 227 Drive r is co rr ectly restrained in a sudden b rak ing
maneuver
Safety belts
Safety belts used properly can make a big differ­
ence. Safety belts help to keep passengers in
their seats, gradually reduce energy levels ap­ plied to the body in an accident , and help prevent
the uncontrolled movement that can cause seri­ ous injuries. In addition, safety belts reduce the
danger of be ing thrown out of the vehicle .
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and give
them the benefit of being slowed down more gently or "softly" through the "give" in the safety
belts, crush zones and other safety features engi­
neered into today's vehicles . By "absorbing" the
kinetic energy over a longer period of time, the
safety belts make the forces on the body more
"tolerable" and less likely to cause injury .
Although these examples are based on a frontal collision, safety belts can also substantia lly re­
duce the risk of injury in other kinds of crashes.
So, whether you're on a long trip or just going to
the corner store, always buckle up and make sure
others do, too. Accident statistics show that vehi­
cle occupants properly wearing safety belts have
a lower risk of being injured and a much better
chance of surviving an accident. Properly using
safety belts also greatly increases the ability of
the supplemental a irbags to do their job in a col­
lision. For this reason, wearing a safety belt is le­
gally required in most countries including much
of the United States and Canada.
Although your Aud i is equipped with airbags, you
still have to wear the safety belts provided. Front
airbags, for example, are activated only in some
frontal collisions. The front airbags are not acti­
vated in all frontal collisions, in side and rear col­
lisions, in rollovers or in cases where there is not
enough deceleration through impact to the front
of the vehicle . The same goes for the other airbag
systems in your Audi. So, always wear your safety
belt and make sure everybody in your vehicle is
properly restrained!
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