New Laws affecting motorhomes coming soon????? True or False

[ourcampersbeentrashed]

Hi everyone

Got told today that there is some new english law coming in relating to motorhomes and seatbelts. Apparently we will only be able to carry passengers that can be seatbelted in, as opposed to now where seat belt exemptions exist on certain age vehicles.

So in future apparently if you have 8 seats but on 2 seat belts you can be done for carrying more than 2 people.

Anyone know anything about this?????

 

[Geo]

Seats in the rear of a camper van/Motorhome did not, prior to October 2007, require seat belts (whether forward, rearward or sideways facing) and it is not illegal to carry unrestrained passengers in them while travelling, providing the vehicle is not overloaded. It is not something we would recommend, however.
Although current seat belt wearing regulations do not currently prohibit carrying more passengers in vehicles than there are seat belts available, the police may prosecute drivers for carrying passengers in a manner that may injure someone.
We would advise that no-one should be carried in any unbelted seat in the rear of a Motorhome.
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 motor homes is that it will not become illegal to carry passengers in the rear, provided that no seat belts 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.

Geo
Credit due to the original authors--- UK motorhomes

 

[ruffingitsmoothly]

Hi Geo do you know if this applies to all weights of vehicle?

Regards Pat

 

[GJH]

Hi Geo do you know if this applies to all weights of vehicle?

Regards Pat

It is all vehicles. Geo credited UKMotorhomes,net. See the article, with links to the legislation, Here.

Graham

 

[ourcampersbeentrashed]

Many many thanks everyone, so if they arent fitted we dont need to worry providing the vehicle is pre 2007.

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[oldun]

Many many thanks everyone, so if they arent fitted we dont need to worry providing the vehicle is pre 2007.

No worry about the use of seat belts.

In fact no worries at all if you are not interested in the safety of your family and friends that you will be carrying in the van.

In my book safety comes first every time.