Seatbelts in older motorhomes

The legislation is a minefield.

The overriding factor, irrespective of law, is to ask yourself if you want to carry your nearest and dearest unrestrained in the rear seats.

I think it's unlikely you will be able to fit seatbelts retrospectively as they need to be fixed to suitable uprights and chassis members and a coachbuilt MH isn’t likely to fit the bill. A specialist will advise you.

Many 4 berth MHs only have 2 belted seats and don’t have the payload capability to carry more than 2 people. Caveat emptor, I’m afraid.☹️

There are many motorhomes that can technically sleep more than two people which only have the two cab seat belts. I think the idea is that the extra berths are provided for visitors not travellers.

Regardless of what the law says surely it makes no sense to travel in a vehicle like a motorhome with more people than there are seat belts for. You could look to retrofitting seat belts, apparently there are specialist companies that do so although I am not aware of any but perhaps an internet search might find such a company.

David

I would say that it would be irresponsible to carry passengers without seat belts and/or on side benches. In a crash at 30mph, an unrestrained back seat adult passenger will hit the front seat, and anyone in it, with a force of 2,500 kg+, killing the unbelted passenger and probably whoever was in the front seat, Even with a seatbelt, passengers in side facing seats will have their innards flung to one side and that is not a good idea. At lest their innards will need significant treatment, at worst they will die.

Whether additional seats can be fitted will probably depend on the chassis and internal layout. In the old days (in the 90s Swift vans could have third party seats fitted) it was also common for horse boxes having additional seat belts fitted. David's suggestion is worth a shot. To start you off, try

https://www.scotseats.co.uk

The solution for most people nowadays is to follow the van with a car.

is it then, "irresponsible" to drive an old/classic car that predate the fitting of seat belts?

If the vehicle was originally built without seat belts the only restriction that applies is that one is not allowed to carry children under 3 years.

However, this vehicle was not built without seat belts. It was built with seat belts for the 2 cab passengers. I therefore doubt that the rule you quote is applicable, Lutz.

I think it is likely the V5 shows a total of 2 passenger seats which implies only the driver + 1 can be carried legally. Insurance is another issue and the insurers may well reject a claim if too many people are carried.

You may be right if the motorhome was declared as a two seater, but if it was always intended to be a four seater then there would be no restriction on carrying occupants on the rear seats (except, of course, children under 3 years). The same applies to cars that were originally built between 1983 and 1991 as required with seat belts on the front seats only, but none for the rear seats. I don't know if the same breakpoints applied to motorhomes, though.

There was a breakpoint but I cannot remember when. I think it must have been in the early 2000s (2003/2004?) because I have carried more passengers than belts in a 2001 motorhome quite legally. Quite appart from the danger to unbelted passengers, have you ever thought what would happen to the fridge or the oven in an accident? Neither are anchored down that firmly.

peedee

Instead of indulging in endless guesses and assumptions why not read HMG's guidance?

Try: Carriage of Passengers in Campervans

I assume the OP has but found it rather woolly 🤷🏻‍♂️