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There's been a post on another forum I use about rear seat belts. The person involved has contacted the MoT people and the Department of Transport and got the following responses :

From VOSA (the MoT people) :

One of my reasons for changing back from the motorhome to car & caravan. The m'h was fitted with lap belts on the two forward facing rear seats but the kids used to wander about while I was driving and the favourite place for the one not sitting beside me was laid out on the bed at the back. I couldn't get them to see how dangerous it was. "But you're not going to crash Mum, you're a good driver".

I feel much safer with them belted up in the car.

Very informative and I am sure we have all learnt something new today, thanks Max-and-paddy

Caz, got your e-mail, sorted!

 Hi yes we took so long looking for a motorhome with at leat two forward facing seats with seatbelts.Most side seats had lap belts and I didnt want them for grandchildren,could just imagine the damage they could do if in a head on accident.we looked at some but were unable to get belts fitted they have to be securured properly.

same applied with the dogs we bought harnesses and they are tied onto seatbelt dont fancy a flying corgi hitting us on the back of the head.

good to print that info  Nora seen a lot of threads about it on other motorhome forums.

We've done something similar for out dog, Corrie. We've bolted a D-ring to the side of the seat and the dog's harness is hooked onto it. We did have him on the floor and the D-ring bolted to the side of a seat but he kept howling and we decided he didn't like being low down because he couldn't see out - he's OK now he's up on our level! 

Lovely couple of dogs you've got, by the way!

Nora

My MH has 6 designated travelling seats. 2 in the front, 2 forward facing and 2 rearward facing - all with 3 point seatbelt.

Quote: Originally posted by Max-and-Paddy on 31/3/2006

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And from Department for Transport:

Seat belt wearing regulations require all seat belts to be worn where they are fitted.

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Do the above regs mean that if I have 6 people that these 6 seats must be used, or just that if someone is sitting in one of those 6 seats they must use the seatbelt?

So do I  !!!

In My motor home iv got seat belt on the rear facing front. I was told my van would not pass its MOT if it did not have one.

iv also got lap belts on my side seats but i use them to keep my tv from falling down.

Ok, I have a question on this subject.... In our van, we have the front driver & passenger seats with belts (obviously), and in the back we have two forward facing seats with 3 point belts and two rearward facing seats with lap belts (which we paid to have fitted ourselves).  We also have a side bench with no belts.  Am I right in thinking that when it is just Hubby, myself and 2 youngsters travelling, that they have to use the two forward facing seats with 3 point belts, before using the rearward facing seats with lap belts?  The seating is rather narrow, and one of my youngsters is on the chubby side, so on long journeys it gets quite uncomfortable for them to sit next to each other.  They prefer to sit one forward one back, which I have let them do providing they both have seatbelts on, but wonder if I'm in the wrong (by law) for letting them do that.

Also, when it is my Hubby, myself and our adult friend travelling, he travels up front with my Hubby, and I sit in the back.  However, I'm of large build, and the seat belt on the back seats doesn't go round me - well it would but it restricts my breathing so much that I start getting very faint, so my only option seems to be use the 3 point belt as a lap belt (the cross over part behind me), or travel facing backwards and use the lap belt.  Anyone got any ideas on the legalities of this?

Sara

"There is no current legal requirement to have seat belts fitted to sidefacing seats, or seats that make up the accommodation area in motor caravans, which are normally used only when the vehicle is stationary and are not designated as travelling seats.

You also ought to be aware that if the police see people being carried in the rear of a vehicle in what they consider to be a dangerous manner, then they have powers that will enable them to prosecute. They do use this to deal with adults or children not using seat belts in the rear of vehicles."

I think if you read the above; what they are actually saying is...the rear of a motorcaravan is for when on site  ....  BUT if people travel in the rear they should be belted....if not they will be prosecuted.

al-n-ing  'having fun'

I think the view about seats that make up the accommodation area, normally only being used when the vehicle is stationary is a load of coblers (sorry but I do).  If it were true, then how could they designate a vehicle to be 3/4/5/6/7 berth if they are only expecting true 'travelling seats' to be the driver and passenger seats in the cab only.  Do they think that if we are three or more in number, that we are going to trail along behind the motorhome in another vehicle?  If that were the case, we would all be better off towing caravans.

Al-n-ing - can appreciate what you are saying, but it does actually say "Seat belts are not designed to be used with side-facing seats and, although it is not illegal to use them, with or without seat belts, we would not advise that they are used."  So it's not illegal to use side facing seats (if all other belted seats are already in use), they just don't advise that they are used.

Sara

Quote: Originally posted by Max-and-Paddy on 02/4/2006

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We've done something similar for out dog, Corrie. We've bolted a D-ring to the side of the seat and the dog's harness is hooked onto it. We did have him on the floor and the D-ring bolted to the side of a seat but he kept howling and we decided he didn't like being low down because he couldn't see out - he's OK now he's up on our level! 

Lovely couple of dogs you've got, by the way!

Nora

 

We are so sad nora one of the little corgies has had to be put to sleep to-day she had an op at christmas but the tumours came back with avengance .we have had them for 5.5 yrs we bread them but dont have the mother anymore either .the other one has never been on its own so we will have to wait and see how she goes... they even slept to-gether,and did a bit of scrapping as well lol.

 val

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Thanks for all this advice!  I have just ordered a lapbelt for a side facing passenger seat in my motorhome at a cost of £125.

I'll cancel it and spend the money elsewhere!

Keep up the good work