# Rear passengers



## AndrewButler (Jan 31, 2009)

I have a Swift Royale. It has the two rear settees - no seat belts. Can I lawfully carry passengers on these seats?

Andy


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Is this a theoretical question Andy??

Surely you wouldn't do anything so potentially lethal, whether it's legal or not!! 8O 

If you hit anything your rear passengers would become missiles aimed at the back of your head. It doesn't bear thinking about.

Dave


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

Andy,

Have a look at page 8 of the current Autotrail brochure. It puts the latest position clearly and succinctly.

http://www.auto-trail.co.uk/e2009/

This applies to new vans of course and I'm not sure whether it's actually illegal to travel in side facing seats, especially without seat belts in older vans. But as Autotrail say it is dangerous in the event of an accident to travel in side facing seats whether with or without seatbelts.

SDA


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

Check with your insurance. Mine asks for the number of seats with seat belts and they only insure passengers carried in seats with seat belts.


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## madontour (May 19, 2008)

To answer your question - My understanding is that it is not illegal to use rear seats that don't have seat belts fitted (sideways facing or otherwise) if the seats have never had seat belts fitted (ie you can't remove them to avoid using them).

It also felt that seat belts on sideways facing seats do more harm than good in the event of accident due the conflicting stresses imposed on the body. 

However, that leaves the moral question of safety if you have unrestrained passengers on the settees which (presumably) have unrestrained cushions . . .
and you have an accident.

Mike


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## karlb (Feb 22, 2009)

oldun said:


> Check with your insurance. Mine asks for the number of seats with seat belts and they only insure passengers carried in seats with seat belts.


this always raises the question are you insured if you dont wear the supplied belt?


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

Mike (Madontour) is absolutely correct it is perfectly legal to have passengers in the unbelted seats on older vehicles.

The decision whether you are happy with this arrangement is yours. Personally I am because when granddaughter occupies the front passenger seat in her chair then one of us has to travel in the back.

JohnW


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

karlb said:


> oldun said:
> 
> 
> > Check with your insurance. Mine asks for the number of seats with seat belts and they only insure passengers carried in seats with seat belts.
> ...


It's not just a matter of insurance, as I understand it it is now, or shortly will be, illegal to travel in a vehicle with safety belts and not use them. There are certain very specific exceptions for tiny sprogs etc.

SDA


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

Where seat belts are fitted, it is illegal not to use them, except if specific circumstances, i.e. very local delivery vehicles - milk floats on delivery, etc., or if you have a severe medical reason whereby the seat belt would do physical damage, i.e. just had chest or heart surgery and not fully healed, etc.
To use seats without seat belts, unless the vehicle is historic and pre-seat belt law, is suicidal. The driver has a duty of care for his passengers, and in the event of an accident I am sure the police will find a prosecutable offence against the driver - dangerous driving - driving without due care and attention - or some other offence!

Don't even consider it


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