SEAT BELTS! How is this handled by everyone

[muddster]

Hello, so we have a villagio motorhome we travel with 3 kids and just wanted to know how everyone handles seat belts in the RV..

What do you do when you don't have enough?

What is the legal requirements?

Is everyone in the rv required to have a seat belt and if so why is the mfg not required to install

Growing up in the 80's we never had seats on in our old Winnebago but times change and I think we all realize the importance of them.

Just kind of wanted some input on what everyone does

Thanks for any help.

[Renegadejb]

Yes, being new to the RV world this is something I am curious about as well.

[Jpiland]

I don't know the Law, But when the grandchildren are with us they are buckled in anytime the coach is moving.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by muddster

Hello, so we have a villagio motorhome we travel with 3 kids and just wanted to know how everyone handles seat belts in the RV..

What do you do when you don't have enough?

What is the legal requirements?

Is everyone in the rv required to have a seat belt and if so why is the mfg not required to install

Growing up in the 80's we never had seats on in our old Winnebago but times change and I think we all realize the importance of them.

Just kind of wanted some input on what everyone does



Thanks for any help.

I’m not sure how all the different legalities add up, however……

In Canada…..the rules say that a vehicle cannot have more people inside than there are seatbelts. This was to overcome situations when some people used to try and transport the entire soccer team in the minivan.

In the states…….I thought the agreed slogan “Click it or ticket” was in all 50 states. Not sure how the penalties work, but that basically means everyone has to be belted too.

Motorhome units usually only have 2 seats from the motor manufacturer…..and therefore there are 2 seatbelts with shoulder harness (3 point system)
The “house” part is NOT A MANUFACTURER VEHICLE…..just a lot of furniture.

[Podivin]

I would assume that the rules in a motorhome would be the same as in a car. People in the front seats must be buckled in, people in the back don't have to be - unless they are young enough to require a car seat, in which case they would need to be buckled in.

[macnut]

Some families drive a second car, instead of towing it, so everyone can be buckled up.

[emdoc]

Originally Posted by Podivin

I would assume that the rules in a motorhome would be the same as in a car. People in the front seats must be buckled in, people in the back don't have to be - unless they are young enough to require a car seat, in which case they would need to be buckled in.

Quite a few, if not most, states require all passengers, front & rear, to be belted or in approved seats.

https://battafulkerson.com/seat-belt-laws/

[Podivin]

Originally Posted by emdoc

Quite a few, if not most, states require all passengers, front & rear, to be belted or in approved seats.

https://battafulkerson.com/seat-belt-laws/

Well, the you go then, I learned something today.

[Gordon Dewald]

Our coach has a seatbelt for each designed sleeping position.

[bpu699]

You can easily add lap belts anywhere you want. They’re just drilled into the floor boards, sold on Amazon for $20.

We took out 2 of our dining room chairs, went to the junkyard and got 2 nice Lexus seats for $30 a piece. Built a frame. Added seat belts, and now 2 more people can travel in comfort.

None of the seat belts in Rv’s look safe. Being buckled to a couch by a seat belt, sitting sideways, would cause serious bodily damage in an accident…

When I goto sell one day, seatbelts get removed. We live in a litigious society…

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by bpu699

You can easily add lap belts anywhere you want. They’re just drilled into the floor boards, sold on Amazon for $20.

We took out 2 of our dining room chairs, went to the junkyard and got 2 nice Lexus seats for $30 a piece. Built a frame. Added seat belts, and now 2 more people can travel in comfort.

None of the seat belts in Rv’s look safe. Being buckled to a couch by a seat belt, sitting sideways, would cause serious bodily damage in an accident…

When I goto sell one day, seatbelts get removed. We live in a litigious society…

MOST HIGHWAY REGULATIONS say all passengers MUST WEAR SEATBELTS.
No one said they HAVE to be survivable!!!!!

[77Travco]

I shoved all of the seatbelts down behind the couch and booth seats. I would completely remove them but I don't want them to get lost.
The only seatbelts that we actually use are for the pilot and copilot seats.
My wife moves around the coach a lot and we don't usually carry passengers... not kids anyway.

As a side note: Buses and school buses do not require seat belts... at least not where I'm at.

[LETMGROW]

I don't allow anyone to get out of their belted in seat and wander around while my MH is underway. I have brakes and a steering wheel which I can use if someone needs to get out of their seat.
I was in a serious car accident when I was 15 years old. I sustained a jaw broken in four places and the loss of several front teeth as well as a lower spinal injury. I spent weeks in a hospital as a result of my injuries. My friend and driver did not survive. This all took place long before seat belts were required in cars and trucks. The vehicle was a 1953 Chevrolet sedan.
When I started looking for a coach one of my 'must haves' was a dinette as opposed to a table and chairs knowing seat belts could be fitted to a dinette much easier than a kitchen type chair. My coach came fitted with seat belts in the dinette as well as all three positions in the couch, drivers , passenger's and the swivel seat directly behind the passenger's seat. Unless it's absolutely necessary I don't allow anyone to sit in the dinette with their back facing the front of the coach. In the event of a front end collision whiplash could be a factor.
I am also paranoid of things sitting on counter tops, in sinks and on the floor behind the passenger's area. Anything can become a missal if not secured into place.
Laws be Damned. It's the safety of everyone I care about.

[bpu699]

Point of interest RV’s aren’t crash tested…

The available seat belts are cute… might help… but mostly seem symbolic.

The crash crumple zone in a class A is nonexistent.