Seat Belts (1 Viewer)

[kickstart]

Good evening all,I hope someone can help,as I understand it next month we need to all have seatbelts for everyone travelling in the motorhome,we have a three berth with just one three point seatbelt on the forward facing seat in the lounge area with pre drilled holes drilled for another one next to it,would this be available from Burstner or would I be able to purchase one from elsewhere ?
We are normaly only the two of us but are taking two more with us next month and would like to fit another belt.

 

[haganap]

well I stand to be corrected but surely this is for vans being sold from then not old ones? you dont even have to have a seat belt in some classic cars if they were not fitted.

I think this is hence the calling of berths based on the number of belted seats not sleeping capacity.

like I said I stand to be corrected

 

[vwalan]

this could be interesting off we go, who starts for a bonus.

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[Johno]

All new MHs registered from the 20th October 2007 passengers can only travel in specified and labelled seats with seatbelts, seems like I've been breaking the law.

John.

 

[kickstart]

No I'm sure I have read that from May 2009 all motorhomes must have belts for anyone travelling in the vehicle.

 

[Johno]

Just quoting from this months Caravan Club magazine this is the advice from their legal helpline and they usually get it right.

John.

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[kickstart]

Thanks John, thats good to know,is that including France as well ? I definitely wont argue with the Caravan club,but even so law or not, if I did want to fit an extra three point belt where would I get one?

 

[Johno]

Sorry I don't know what the situation is in France but I guess there must be plenty of Funsters who can help you with that.

John.

 

[kickstart]

An EU Directive (2005/40/EC) on the installation of seat belts required that from 20 October 2007 new vehicles have to have seat belts fitted on all seats except those seats intended solely for use when the vehicle is stationary.

Where seat belts are fitted, from May 2009, the seat belt wearing Directive will prevent more passengers being carried than there are seat belts in the rear of vehicles. This will mean that from May 2009, in any vehicle of whatever age, where seat belts are fitted in the rear, more passengers may not be carried in the rear than there are seat belts available.

The critical point for owners of older motorhomes is that it will not become illegal to carry passengers in the rear, provided that no seatbelts are fitted to any seats behind the driver and front passenger seats. Owners of any motorhome that has belts fitted to any seat in the rear will need to be aware that, from May 2009, it will be illegal to carry passengers in any unbelted seats.

The advisability of carrying unrestrained passengers is another matter, to quote the DfT spokesman:

'... the police can already act where people in the rear of any vehicle are considered to be carried in a dangerous manner because they are unrestrained. [Owners] should beware of unbelted passengers. In a crash, they can injure others in the vehicle ...'.

In addition to considering the legal and safety issues involved, owners who intend to carry passengers in unbelted seats must check with their insurers to confirm that this is acceptable to them.

Our advice is that, regardless of the letter of the law, all passengers should wear seat belts.

We are indebted to Rohan Pohl and Tom Norman from the Department for Transport for their time and patience in answering all our questions on this subject.

So if at the moment I have one fitted to carry anyone else another must be fitted.:thumb:

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