Children unsecured in rear of motorhomes

[Fisherman]

In the past two weeks I have witnessed twice motorhomes being driven with children in the rear unsecured in the habitation area.

In my line of work I witnessed many tragic road accidents, and saw first hand the consequences of such stupidity.

If your vehicle is traveling at say 35mph, and you come to a sudden stop, any unsecured occupants will travel at 35mph forward within the vehicle.
I did not manage to get the registration of either vehicle, but if I had I would have passed this onto the police.

 

[caledonia]

I understand your concern but calling the police?

 

[yorkslass]

If there are no seatbelts I don't think it's illegal, dangerous certainly.

Be interesting to hear how you would stand with your insurance company.

Years ago we had a VW, and my daughter used to make a bed behind the bench seat, not ideal, but the best available at the time. She was too small to be fitted with a seatbelt in the cab.

 

[Silver sprinter]

Is the law clear as to seatbelts in the rear, must seatbelts be fitted, if facing side on or facing backwards, I seem to remember in a motorhome magazine that it was a grey area, not asking your thoughts on it, asking what the law says

 

[wildebus]

I believe that aftermarket travel seats (so added after vehicle first registered) do not require seatbelts to be fitted.
So with a motorhome I guess it depends if it is a original build - so belts required - or a conversion. It is not so much a grey area so much as a misunderstood one - especially with the authorities that are required to enforce the laws.


Having said all the above, I would not take passengers in any vehicle I have if they didn't have seat belts unless it was for a specific reason.


LINKS:
Converting a van to carry passengers in the rear - GOV.UK

 

[Sharon the Cat]

I thought if you didn't have seatbelts fitted then you couldn't carry passengers.

We got stopped coming back from the pub in the farmer's pick-up. Phill was sitting in the back on a bale of straw.
The copper couldn't do Phill for not wearing a seatbelt, as he wasn't in a seat.
The farmer got nicked for insecure load.

 

[colinm]

Child car seats: the law: When a child can travel without a car seat - GOV.UK

 

[Fisherman]

I understand your concern but calling the police?

Why not, whats more important than a Childs safety, they depend on us to take care of them.

If you had seen what I have, you would never question phoning the police.

 

[Fisherman]

If there are no seatbelts I don't think it's illegal, dangerous certainly.

Be interesting to hear how you would stand with your insurance company.

Years ago we had a VW, and my daughter used to make a bed behind the bench seat, not ideal, but the best available at the time. She was too small to be fitted with a seatbelt in the cab.

Its stupid, dangerous, and illegal.
Children must be secured appropriate to their size in any vehicle.

 

[Fisherman]

My insurance only allows me to carry three passengers, one next to me up front and two in the back.
I hace a 4 berth mh, with 4 seatbelts.

 

[Fisherman]

Child car seats: the law: When a child can travel without a car seat - GOV.UK

This is more vague than ******.

I cannot understand anyone carrying their children unsecured, its beyond unforgivable.

 

[Channa]

I thought if you didn't have seatbelts fitted then you couldn't carry passengers.

We got stopped coming back from the pub in the farmer's pick-up. Phill was sitting in the back on a bale of straw.
The copper couldn't do Phill for not wearing a seatbelt, as he wasn't in a seat.
The farmer got nicked for insecure load.

That charge can be levied against motorhomers carrying passengers in a van with no belts irrespective of whether children or adults ( even my dog had a seatbelt)

Trevskoda is up to speed with what you can and cant do a lot of it is date related

Channa

 

[mariesnowgoose]

So how come they build motorhomes to sleep 'x' number of people but often don't have the equivalent number of belted seats to transport all those 'x' people while driving?

Seems vey illogical.

 

[jeanette]

So how come they build motorhomes to sleep 'x' number of people but often don't have the equivalent number of belted seats to transport all those 'x' people while driving?

Seems vey illogical.

Marie ours is classed as a four berth but it only has two seats!

 

[Fisherman]

I can only assume that when you have a 4 berth van, but only two seatbelts that the others could be transported by another means.

My mate has a three berth van but only two seats, his son drives his daughter to the van then picks her up when they are heading home.

 

[Fisherman]

We all survived
So my boy riding quads at 2 and motorbikes at 4 !
Used knives and axes and learnt to pier jump from 4 .
I saw a farmer with his children in the tractor the other day too .

Believe me they don't always survive.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I can only assume that when you have a 4 berth van, but only two seatbelts that the others could be transported by another means.

My mate has a three berth van but only two seats, his son drives his daughter to the van then picks her up when they are heading home.

But that in itself is illogical - and pretty impractical!

What if you want to go further afield or overseas?!

Surely if a van is sold as sleeping 'x' people then it should be able to transport 'x' people safely while en route?

So whose fault would it be if you have a smash & there are more passengers than seatbelts? Has there ever been any test cases for this situation?

Everybody keeps saying it's a grey area, and you're not kidding!

 

[Channa]

If you have 4 seat belted seats and a two birth, bearing in mind wildcamping is a minority sport, Do manufacturers assume you will use a safari room, or pup tent for kids?

No end of people on the caravan pages sleep their kids in awnings etc. Some sites don't like it and see it as a safety hazard/

My van had 6 belted seats but was a four berth

Channa

 

[maingate]

If a vehicle was built when seatbelts were not required then it is not illegal to carry passengers without seatbelts. The law was not retrospective.

As for motorhomes, at one time seatbelts were not required, then lap belts were acceptable, were fitted and had to be worn by passengers in the back. In 2006/7 the Law changed again. 3 point seatbelts were required from then on. I had a 2006 Elddis Autoquest 120, it was a 4 berth with 2 sideways facing lap belts in the back The 2007 identical model could not be fitted with 3 point seatbelts and was sold as a 2 berth motorhome.

So ... travelling without seatbelts in the back of a motorhome may not be advisable but it may not be illegal.

 

[Fisherman]

But that in itself is illogical - and pretty impractical!

What if you want to go further afield or overseas?!

Surely if a van is sold as sleeping 'x' people then it should be able to transport 'x' people safely while en route?

So whose fault would it be if you have a smash & there are more passengers than seatbelts? Has there ever been any test cases for this situation?

Everybody keeps saying it's a grey area, and you're not kidding!

I agree completely.
But my interpretation would be yes you can sleep 4, but you can only safely transport 2.
Thats is crazy I agree.