Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,

How many people can I legally have in my camper van?...it's an auto sleeper pop top, it has two lap belts in the rear.
It may sound like a silly question but I'd rather appear daft here than in a court of law.

Four.......two in the front, two in the back. Because that's how many belts you have fitted.
You could increase this to 5 with another belt in the middle of the rear seats.

Martin

If you have 2 lap belts in the back and presumably single passenger seat up front, then technically you can carry 3 passengers, BUT......

How many seats are listed on the V5 - mine lists 7 seats (including driver), so as long as I have sufficient seating and belts, I can carry 6 passengers.

I know we all use rear seatbelts these days, but do we have to by law on our vans ?

According to what I just found on the ROSPA website HERE, it seems you don't have to if they are not fitted.

Adults travelling in the rear of a car must also use seat belts, if they are fitted.

My van does not have rear belts, but as 99% of the time there is only Gill and I, in the front, I am not concerned.

Campers don't have to have them fitted

Thank you all for replying and for giving me peace of mind

Now as that's settled, does that mean that, like we used to do in the old days, you can cram 6 musicians into the back to take them to the gig ? Then bring them home again at 4am in the morning, when they are all pissed and stoned

Are they below average height and size pissed and stoned musicians?

You do not need the belts in the back but if you do fit any then you can only carry as many passengers as seat belts, so if you fit one seat belt in the back only one person may travel in the back in the seat with a belt.

The only clear guidance I've seen regarding seatbelts is that you must wear a seatbelt if it is fitted to your seat, and children under 3 can only travel in a properly restrained child seat.

Other than that it will probably come down to checking your insurance policy, as you may find you invalidate your cover if you carry passengers who aren't wearing proper 3-point belts, and that as a result you'd be driving without insurance which is in itself an offence.

Happy happy joy joy!

Thank you all once again

There is a 'getout' clause.......if you set the seat into its flat bed position and hide away the belts, they can't/won't be tested on MOT.

Martin