Motorhome seat belt regulations explained

After January 2006, the seat belt laws changed for newly manufactured motorhomes. The regulations are now broken down into three categories:

1. Motorhomes manufactured between 1st April 1982 and 30th September 1988 and weighing up to 2,540kg (unladen weight)…

… must have three point safety belts for the driver and specified passenger. Any optional belts can be three point or two point belts.

2. Motorhomes manufactured after 1st October 1988…

… must have seat belts fitted for the driver and any forward facing front passengers. Three point belts are required for the drivers and specified passenger seats. Other front belts may be two point belts if the passengers head cannot strike the windscreen. Any optional rear belts can be two or three point belts.

3. Motorhomes manufactured after January 2006…

… must have at least two point safety belts for all designated seats. Mountings and belts have to conform to European and UK legal requirements (travel seats will need to be badged as such). Rear passengers in motorhomes will be obliged to use the designated seats and their safety belts. Sideways facing seats cannot be designated as travel seats (statistics show that belted side facing seats can be very dangerous in the event of collision).

Motorhome seatbelt regulations

For further information please contact your local motorhome dealer.

Source: Motorcaravan Motorhome Monthly – November 2006 (page 29)

Filed under: Motorhoming Top Tips by Heather | Published: 20/12/2006

8 Responses to “Motorhome seat belt regulations explained”

deborah, on May 7th, 2011 at 5:52 pm Said:

can you please clear this up? Seatbelt law seems a bit fuzzy and so does insurance. I just read an entire policy of yours to see that breakdown cover abroad isn’t covered if ‘the vehicle is carrying more passengers than designed for’
Can you confirm? We will travel through France in a brand new van in July and only have 4 seltbelts but 5 passengers! There is a side facing seat as above. You say it is dangerous, but is it covered. (we have actually arranged for 2 of the passengers to fly down to meet us actually) but want to know if it is legal to go out on day trips?? and not just legal but ‘covered’. Thank you
Heather, on May 25th, 2011 at 11:09 am Said:

Hi Deborah

Sorry for the delay in our response.

We queried this with the Department of Transport in May 2008 and their response was as follows:

“There is no current legal requirement to have seatbelts fitted to side facing seats, or seats that make up the accommodation area in the rear of motor caravans, which are normally used only when the vehicle is stationary. However, The Department for Transport advice is that passengers are safest in a forward or rearward facing seat equipped with a lap belt or preferably a three point belt.

Although it is not generally illegal to use side facing seats, with or without seatbelts, we would not advise that they are used. Seatbelts are not designed to be used with sidefacing seats and, although they may help to prevent the wearer being ejected or thrown around the vehicle, in a frontal crash they can increase injury risk by subjecting vulnerable parts of the body to higher loads than seatbelts used on forward facing seats.

If you intend to carry children aged 12 years or under, the seatbelt wearing regulations which came into force on 18 September 2006 require them to use a suitable child restraint. You should bear in mind that child restraints cannot be fitted to side facing seats.

There is no specific legal limit to the number of passengers carried in a motorhome. However, the manufacturer will probably specify the maximum number that the vehicle is designed for. If that number is exceeded, Regulation 100 of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 may apply. In summary, this regulation states that: “A motor vehicle, and all its parts and accessories; the number of passengers carried, and the manner in which any passengers are carried in or on a vehicle; and the weight, distribution, packing and adjustment of the load of a vehicle, to be at all times such that no danger is caused, or is likely to be caused, to any person in or on a vehicle or on a road.

European legislation (2005/39/EC) has been adopted that prohibits the installation of side facing seats in new vehicles, which must comply with the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval Regulations. At this time, motorhomes do not need to comply with this. However, from 29 April 2012, motorhomes will be covered by the extended European Whole Vehicle Type Approval Regulations, which will prohibit the use of side facing seats in motorhomes whilst the vehicle is travelling. Travelling seats will then need to be clearly identified to users by a pictogram or sign. It is also likely that the appropriate Regulations within the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 will be amended to prohibit the use of side facing seats when travelling in the near future.”

We are not 100% certain that this information remains correct but have emailed the Department of Transport to check and will submit any further information received. If the information remains valid, obviously from a UK point of view it would not be illegal to use the side facing seat without a seatbelt to transport a 5th passenger even though it is not advisable. That’s subject to you not contravening Regulation 100 of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986.

Our underwriters RSA concur with the DOT’s 2008 advice. They say that “You and your husband must keep to the law relating to seatbelts, however the law in the UK doesn’t insist on the wearing of seatbelts where none is fitted. This makes the checking of French law even more important!”

Obviously we cannot advise on French seatbelt legislation – if you have a sound understanding of the French language you could try the French Ministry of Transport’s website at http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/-Transports,1310-.html.

Providing your motorhome insurance policy has the European cover option selected your insurance cover will stand even whilst carrying the additional passenger. If you are unsure whether you have our European cover option selected or not please refer to your policy schedule or call us on 01422 396 777 so we can check this for you. We hope you have a great trip.

We don’t have any exclusions or conditions around the wearing of seatbelts. But please remember to take all reasonable steps.

All Insured Persons must
a) observe the terms and conditions and exclusions of this insurance
b) take all reasonable steps to try to prevent any incident that may give rise to a claim
c) take all reasonable steps to minimise the amount payable under this insurance

Kind regards

Heather Robinson
Caravan Guard
Rose Hinds, on August 10th, 2011 at 2:19 am Said:

Do these regulations pertain to Canadian laws particularily Ontario
Heather, on August 10th, 2011 at 9:35 am Said:

Hello Rose, these regulations apply to UK Law. We wouldn’t be able to comment on the regulations in Canada as it’s not a country that we can insure our customers’ motorhomes.

You may find some information on this site: http://www.rvda.ca/default.asp?action=RVDA_regulations

Sorry we couldn’t be of more help
chelsea ambrose, on August 16th, 2011 at 9:37 pm Said:

are you allowed 7 people in a 6 berth camper van ?
Heather, on August 17th, 2011 at 9:35 am Said:

Hi Chelsea

That would depend on the number of seats including any travel seats and whether the correct seat belts are fitted. See above response where it reads:

There is no specific legal limit to the number of passengers carried in a motorhome. However, the manufacturer will probably specify the maximum number that the vehicle is designed for. If that number is exceeded, Regulation 100 of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 may apply.
Coral, on September 15th, 2011 at 12:31 pm Said:

Are 2point belts OK for childen to use in the back of a motorhomr?
Livvy, on January 28th, 2012 at 4:28 pm Said:

So in a motorhome if you had the front with a few seats then beds in the middle and then seats at the back as well would everyone at the back have to have seatbelts? I was assuming they would have to, but I was wondering specifically. And because you have to have seatbelts is it illegal to lay in the beds whilst moving?

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