Seatbelts, kids, law, and common sense ? (1 Viewer)

Andrew G M

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Called into Autosleeper dealership on Friday, and was shown a very nice Burford with a fixed bed at the rear, and two facing bench seats in the lounge, which converts into a second double bed.

When I explained to the ever so nice sales lady that we have two teenage children that would require belted seats, she replied there was no need, and it was perfectly legal for them to travel unrestrained.

Two questions.

Firstly, is she legally correct with a brand new mh, and secondly, is she morally correct ?
 

Jaws

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Firstly, yes,, forward facing seats require seat belts, sideways ones don't

Secondly, dunno.. I honestly could not reply to that as everyones moral compass points in a slightly difference direction :Smile:
 
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Andrew G M

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Firstly, yes,, forward facing seats require seat belts, sideways ones don't

Secondly, dunno.. I honestly could not reply to that as everyones moral compass points in a slightly difference direction :Smile:

But are people legally allowed to travel in the rear of a new mh unrestrained ?

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sdc77

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Legaly they may be treated the same as an insecure load and you could be prosecuted. More importantly your insurance would only cover you (normaly) for passengers in belted 'travelling' seats.
 

Terry

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Legaly yes and no ::bigsmile:They never got around to changing the laws so you can still carry pasengers in side facing seats :Smile: In october 2007 they passed a law stating that travel seats should all have belts which maufactuers had to comply with.::bigsmile: morally ? I carry my grandson but mostly my wife in the back side facing seats --shes usually laid on one while GS gets to sit up front with me ::bigsmile: but then again my van is pre 2007 :winky:
terry
PS i don't think insurance issues come into it--I have never had to state how many passenger seats or anything
 
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Jim

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SUGGY

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My Rapido MH is a 4 berth with 2 side facing seats , i asked my insurance company Safeguard they said no problem ,all passengers are covered .:thumb:

Morally , Hasn't Health and safety gone too far ? . :Eeek:
 
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When you get on a bus you can sit facing forward's or sideways and
nobody gives it a second thought, likewise with trains and boats, IMHO
Elf and safety has gone way too far already
 
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Andrew G M

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When you get on a bus you can sit facing forward's or sideways and
nobody gives it a second thought, likewise with trains and boats, IMHO
Elf and safety has gone way too far already


Bus, train, or boat, you do not have a choice, if you want to get where you are going.

Buying a mh personally, and being personally responsible for your passenger's health and safety (most likely your kids), is different to the above.

I agree the chances of an accident are slim, but should an accident happen, I do not want my 6' 2' ,14 stone son flying into the back of my head.

As I have said in a previous post, my first ever test drive of a motorhome lasted all of 300yards from the dealership before a car full of teenagers sideswiped the back of of the MH.

Sh*t can and does happen.

I will never be convinced that it is ok to carry unbelted passengers.

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Janine

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Imagine you have just spent £50,000 on a beautiful, but fragile, work of art.

Would you just plonk it on the back seat of you MH and hope it survives the journey in one piece?

What value would you put on your child's life?
 

jhorsf

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having doubts about what happens

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9vZdoomTuA"]Fiat Ducato Camper "Wohnwagen" (48 Km/h) Frontal Impact - YouTube[/ame]
 

Minxy

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Unfortunately accidents do happen - I took these photos of a 'poorly' motorhome in a compound last year:
 

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meexi

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I have always found it very strange that some 4 berth motorhomes only have seatbelts for 2 people even some brand new ones.:whatthe::whatthe:

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sdc77

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Regarding insurance .. all companies are different of course .. but come an accident they will always point at the amount of belted passenger seats indicated on the v5. If you have 2 or 3 .. give them a call and tell them you carry 4 or 5 regularly and see what they say.
(Dont do that!)
 
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You don't need to ask a forum - or anyone else - just ask yourself...........

I've carried my own children in a MH un-belted ...........carefully.........

would I blame myself if anything had happened to them ? ............absolutely !!!!



 

Mel

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Good morning funsters,

I have just seen the news here in Belgium.

Yesterday there was ab accident,
A motorhome and a 4X4.

The 4X4 was traveling too fast and could notmake it round the bend.

He went onto the wrong side of the road and hit the motorhome head on.

The driver and front seat pasenger where ok but there two grandchildren in the back or both dead.

It is believed there where no seat belts in the rear it was an old motorhome.

So are seat belts law or not?

Does it mater

Very sad for all concerned.


Mel

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Mel

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Just had an update.

The children where 18 & 19

The motorhome driver 100% in the right but how will they live with this.

For Gods sake the person that told the customer they dont need seatbelts is an order taker not a salesperson.

I hope she reads this and re thinks what she tells customers.

Thankfully very few motorhome's are involved in accidents.


Mel
 

bobandjanie

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Over 20 years ago I would not let our children go on school coach trips unless there were seatbelts fitted, I would go along as a helper in my own vehicle and they would ride with me. So would I let them travel unrestrained in our motorhome now? No.... they could walk :ROFLMAO: Jane

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JaG

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Nothing to do with current laws. Nothing to do with what Insurance companies say. Nothing to do with morals. It's all to do with common sense.
I would never, under any circumstances carry anyone in a vehicle I was driving unless they were belted.
Many say children should be belted up. Just remember - a 40 year old is also the child of someone.
 

treetops1

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seatbelts

Hi there .just like to mention just recently went to look at a new van ,when I questioned the layout only allowed 2 seat belts in a 4 berth van I was told it was ok to travel without seat belts if you are over 12 ,which I found astounding .I feel manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure every berth in a motorhome should have a seat belt .I have looked at some 2013 designs and some variation have just the seat turned sideways reducing the seatbelts from 4 down to 2 but £500 cheaper .what is a life worth.:Angry:
 

Jim

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Hi there .just like to mention just recently went to look at a new van ,when I questioned the layout only allowed 2 seat belts in a 4 berth van I was told it was ok to travel without seat belts if you are over 12 ,which I found astounding .I feel manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure every berth in a motorhome should have a seat belt .I have looked at some 2013 designs and some variation have just the seat turned sideways reducing the seatbelts from 4 down to 2 but £500 cheaper .what is a life worth.:Angry:


Very Common, thankfully more and more new vans are now coming with 4 or even 6 sets of 3 point seat belts. But there are plenty with only two as you've seen. The problem occurs the the popularity of the twin sofa vans. These might only have two belted seats. (Driver and passenger) When they have a traditional dinette its easy to add the belts. Also if the sofa is L shaped they may have a cutout and the bottom of the "L" so two can sit belted at the end.:Smile:

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Andrew G M

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I understand Elddis to their credit now have a policy of only producing mhs that have the same number of seat-belts as berths.

Perhaps this common sense policy should be made law, or am i missing something ?
 

scotjimland

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I understand Elddis to their credit now have a policy of only producing mhs that have the same number of seat-belts as berths.

Perhaps this common sense policy should be made law, or am i missing something ?

Makes sense to me..

it has been the law in the US since 1968 that required all vehicles (except buses) to be fitted with seat belts in all designated seating positions..

Anyone who has owned an American motorhome will know that every seat has a belt.. ours had no less than nine .. for what was essentially a four berth motorhome.

A change in the UK seat belt law would be the way forward ..
 
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treetops1

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seatbelts

Hi,I believe the French government started to look at he seatbelt situation with regard to regulation that all parties in motorhomes should be belted I think this may be statue by sometime in 2014.i do know it is on there agenda,
:thumb:

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cmcardle75

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Makes sense to me..

it has been the law in the US since 1968 that required all vehicles (except buses) to be fitted with seat belts in all designated seating positions..

Anyone who has owned an American motorhome will know that every seat has a belt.. ours had no less than nine .. for what was essentially a four berth motorhome.

A change in the UK seat belt law would be the way forward ..

Actually, ours only has as many as there are berths. Severals seats have no belts and the belts provided are only lap belts. However, it is 1978. A UK motorhome of the same period would be lucky to have them on the driver's seat.
 
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Chockswahay

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I think that to let anyone travel in a car or motorhome without wearing a seatbelt is an act of outright stupidity and total disregard for life :shout:

Lap belts (especially sideways seats) are better then nothing, but can still lead to major injury.

As to the carriage of younger children they have no choice but to trust the adults who care (?) for them.

Get real people, there is no defense, only the real risk of injury or death :shout::shout:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adkJk94X-BY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adkJk94X-BY[/ame]
 
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