Guest Pete Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 I have heard that from next January it will not be allowed for passengers to travel on side facing seats, irrespective of whether the seats have belts or not, does anyone know if this is correct. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PeteC Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 Not heard anything about that Normally when these things are brought in preregistered vehicles are excused Will watch out for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 Search forum on "seats" (omitting the quotes) - see posting of 31/10/2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Will Redfearn, Wirral Motorhome Club Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 It has always been dangerous to travel on sideways facing seats. Sideloading (crewbuses) minbuses were banned a number of years ago, for a variety of reasons. The human body does not gain any benefit from a side seat and seat belt in fact the opposite is true, it can cause serious injury. A seat belt esp. a lap belt is designed to be warn across the hips thus the bones of the hips provide additional protection to soft internal organs. Buses are exempt because of their general low speed and short journies. Incidentally it is far safer to travel on a train or bus if you are seated facing the rear of the vehicle/carriage, the seat back provides additional protection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel E Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 It's interesting to note that RAF transport aircraft have rear facing seats - much safer in an incident. The replies are right - yes, they are being outlawed, yes they are dangerous and, whether or not the rule applies to your 'van, don't let anyone except your worst enemy travel in such a seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 R.A.F.safety was a bit of a laugh looking back at it. We flew half way round the world facing backwards all nice and safe, then got off the plane onto a three ton Bedford with sideways facing seats and the canvas flap open at the back sucking in the exhaust fumes. Great life, but I often wondered who was in charge of safety! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 The Caravan Club has always preached the leisure-vehicle Safety Gospel, so it's ironic that the winner of their Design & Drive 2005 award for "Best coachbuilt motorhome over £45K" was Robel's Delmun 620HD. This has a rear U-lounge with a seat-belt fitted to each of the side-sections of the "U". There's no attempt to hide this arrangement - it's openly described in the vehicle specification. (I think this is the only motorhome I've ever seen with factory-fitted belted inwards-facing side-seats.) The importer gave me the impression he believed this seat-belt layout was currently illegal in the UK (which I think is incorrect) but was OK (and would continue to be OK) in Germany where the vehicle is built (and I'm not sure that's right either). Anyway, another bit of useless motorhome trivia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ralph W Posted July 11, 2005 Share Posted July 11, 2005 I have just read an article in the latest August edition of Motor Caravan Magazine you may find of help. It covers on pages 57 to 60 the new EU rules and regulations and how they effect construction of our motor caravans. It states that European Whole Vechicle Type Approval EWVTA, will apply on new Motorhome designs introduced to the market from 2007 and existing designs from 2009. As with all things to do with the EU they can be complicated i'm sure but with the new seatbelt regulations / directives (74/408/EEC for seats - 76/115/EEC for seatbelt anchorages and 77/541/EEC for seatbelts) that are now being applied to motorhomes for rear seat passengers. And making travelling in side facing seats to become illegal. Hope this information is of help Ralph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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