Seat Belt Law on Side Facing seats

Very wise. You don't want a child slamming into the back of your seat at 30mph, you get squidged between them, your seat and your belt...

Generally you are safer being firmly attached to a car type vehicle than floating about loose inside.

Do you need the boosters with just a lap belt? The booster is to raise the shoulder height so the diagonal comes across the shoulder and not the neck.

I don't know what the law says, I wouldn't be surprised if it can't cope with side facing seats.

In an accident the side facing seats are intrinsically much less safe the forward facing seats in a modern vehicle that has crumple zones front and back with airbags sprouting from every hidden orifice. If you are *really* concerned with their safety and have a choice, while wishing to stick with Land Rover, choose a more modern design from the range.

Huw

The law (UK):

If seats were fitted as standard and no seat belts were fitted then you do not need to fit them. (also the case with the middle seat if you have no lap belt)

I'd say the safest measure is to either:

2.) (what I have done, though not as good as 1) put the wife in the back and have both kids in the front.

Rear facing seats would be easy to fit and very safe. Military minibuses use rear facing seats because they are safer. Passengers on my side facing seats slide around all over the place, they end up proped against objects and clinging onto bodywork. A lap belt on a side facing seat would need to be very tight to stop a person moving in an accident or even during normal travel. I guess they will prevent a passenger being thrown out of the vehicle, but not much else.

Rear facing bucket seats will 5point harness should keep the kids under control. David

Agreed.

I can't see that you are any better off with a seat belt in a side facing seat than without.

Put a box in the back and have them facing backwards. If they are small enough then bolt a childseat to the bulkhead.

Again though, why not just put the wife in the back? Mine rides there and it means i can still have tools and junk in the back without it being a risk to the babies. (I have a home made dog guard to stop bits coming over into the front).

"Manley" wrote >

We know who is dominant and who is submissive in your family. Mine would insist on a proper car.........or else.......

Huw

"DavidM" wrote

Who? The RAF use LDV 17 seat minibuses, many with an equipment cage replacing back seats.

Alan Morris

I don't know who. It is pretty old info from people who were in the RAF 10 or 15 years ago. New RAF minibuses probably have normal forward facing seats because they need seatbelts fitted.

"Huw" muttered something along the lines of:

Not at all, SWMBO is in charge, but she puts the children first and can't drive.