Club 80-90 Forums

what age does a

1987 Rear seat belts had to be fitted in all new cars in Britain.

http://www.theaa.com/public_affairs/rep ... report.pdf

sandancer wrote:what age does a vehicle have to be to be exempt from back seat belts

It depends if the "vehicle" is a car or a "motor caravan". Bearing in mind where you're asking the question, the answer is a bit more complicated.

Until October 2007, rear seatbelts were not required to be fitted to the "living area" of a motor caravan, only to the driver's and front passengers' seats. So, none of our vans were ever required to have rear seatbelts. Of course, if they ARE fitted then you have to wear them.

This is a fairly clear summary:

Rear seatbelts in campers

James

RedGus wrote: So, none of our vans were ever required to have rear seatbelts. Of course, if they ARE fitted then you have to wear them.


James

Slightly wrong there - most of our vans were originally registered other than motor caravan so were required to have them if there were seats. Mine was a 7 seater so was required to have them. Only if it were converted before registration would our vans have been originally registered as motor caravan if they satisfied the criteria and the company actually filled out the registration as motor caravan (which was not a legal requirement).

Oldiebut goodie wrote:

RedGus wrote: So, none of our vans were ever required to have rear seatbelts. Of course, if they ARE fitted then you have to wear them.


James

Slightly wrong there - most of our vans were originally registered other than motor caravan so were required to have them if there were seats. Mine was a 7 seater so was required to have them. Only if it were converted before registration would our vans have been originally registered as motor caravan if they satisfied the criteria and the company actually filled out the registration as motor caravan (which was not a legal requirement).

I stand corrected, OBG. Completely overlooked the option of a minibus being converted to a camper. Presumably, though, if you'd converted a panel van to a camper before 2007, and changed the logbook to "Motor Caravan", then you wouldn't have been obliged to fit rear seatbelts?

It's all fairly academic, I suppose, because I can't imagine there would be many people out there who would actively look for ways to avoid fitting seatbelts for the kids in the back, but buckle up themselves in the front.

thanks for the info