# seat belts for side facing seats



## 100835 (Sep 3, 2006)

can anyone advise me where to go to have seat belts supplied and fitted to side facing bench seats to bessacarr


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

General consensus from many posts and reports in magazines is that side facing seatbelts do not work properly. We used to have them in ambulances, they are no longer allowed even though they were static not inertia belts. They are no longer acceptable in those vehicles.

Difficulty with fitting seat belts after purchase is finding where to anchor them, very few suppliers will do so because of insurance risks if they fail. AlKo don't approve drilling holes through the chassis - it weakens it, so where do you anchor them? They MUST be anchored to the chassis in some way and few fitters are willing to be involved.

Cannot advise you where to go, when we have asked we have been rebuffed for the reasons above.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

I remember a while ago being a passenger in a LWB Landrover on a long journey, sitting in side-facing seats.

It was the most uncomfortable experience - dreadful.

I doubt any of your passengers would want to sit in your side-facing seats, belts or no belts.


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## Jagman (Feb 16, 2008)

Hi compo,

Agree with everything said, used to drive a 'crewbus' transit full of kids regularly, horrified at the thought of it now, such arrangements banned for minibuses years ago, quite rightly. Don't do it even if someone agrees to fit them - they won't be safe even if anchorages secure, which they probably won't be.


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

Hi,

Spotted this on a site we are using for a new solar panel, some friends just got side facing seats and were looking to fit belts for their children, not recommended by most so they ended up just fitting a swivel table to keep them in their seats , not great solution but only one they could think of, that cost them £200.

This should be a link to Towtal in Stoke, hope it works- http://www.towtal.co.uk/lap-belts.html

Mandy


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## Jagman (Feb 16, 2008)

IMHO the lap belts are intended for rear-facing dinette type seats where they provide some security and might prevent bodies flying around the inside of the van in the event of a serious shunt. Most, but not all, accidents involve rapid forward deceleration and the rear facing passenger is likely to be held in place initially by the seat back as long as they don't fly forwards over it - the lap belt should prevent this and stabilise things during the initial stages of an accident. The lap belt would also prevent them moving backwards with the rebound effect after initial impact. Side facing passengers would have no protection from their seat back in rapid forward deceleration or rebound and would pivot forwards and backwards very sharply even if the lap belt restrained them; a potentially damaging movement of their body. If there were more than one side facing passenger they would bang into each other, probably injuring heads. Forward facing passengers should have inertia reel lap and diagonal belts properly anchored to a sub-frame of course. Side impacts and complex movements involving rear impacts after front impacts and rolls are another story and all threaten the integrity of belt/seat, systems but passengers are safest when belted into a forward or rear facing seat so the belt and seat structure act together to secure the body in place.


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## 100835 (Sep 3, 2006)

*seatbelts for side facing seats*

many thanks to everyone who replied to my query. I have decided not to continue with fitting belts to motorhome. Thanks Compo


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