Driving kids in an old camper...

[akmom]

I'm putting this in the Health category because it's a safety issue.

We recenty acquired a fixer-upper RV and have taken it on a few nearby excursions with the kids. It was built in 1973, so the only seatbelts are in the driver and passenger seats. There's some table seating in the middle (approx. 4 ppl) and a bench seat in the back (at least 3 ppl). We have been taking our car with us to transport our children (ages 1, 3, 6), but when we start going on longer trips, I'd really rather not drive a separate vehicle. It's just more fuel to burn, plus we like to be together as a family when we drive.

I contacted the troopers, who said we were exempt from seat belt laws in that particular vehicle, since it was not manufactured with them. However, I don't feel comfortable having them unrestrained. I know buses don't have seatbelts, but the troopers agreed that an RV is not configured the same way and probably would not offer the same protection as a school bus in a crash. So I'm looking for advice on how to install restraints.

I don't know if I could actually install seatbelts, since the seats are wooden and fold out into beds. Plus all the cushions are removable. All my kids are still in carseats, so I was thinking that perhaps I could install something more like LATCH, and just use the straps already on the carseats... like put them directly on the floor somewhere. Advice?

 

[cybele]

You might have to install actual carseats.

Honestly, in an RV I wouldn't bother, the point of seatbelts is to primarily prevent passengers from flying out the front window in a crash, that won't happen in the back of an RV.

 

[Mom2all]

I'm a seat belt die-hard. A child flying through the air at 60 mph in any vehicle is too much to think about. I know that we installed one in the rear seat of my Dad's old truck once. It was just a lap belt but it held the car seats. Perhaps you could talk to a mechanic about where it could latch. I know it has to be bolted to metal. Good Luck

 

[BabyAngel]

It actually has to be bolted to a strong part of metal, which is usually attached to the frame of the vehicule.

Thin metal, although may seem solid to our hand, will just rip apart like paper in an accident !

 

[Mom2all]

It actually has to be bolted to a strong part of metal, which is usually attached to the frame of the vehicule.

Thin metal, although may seem solid to our hand, will just rip apart like paper in an accident !

Agreed! I was on the Volunteer Rescue squad when I was younger.. I can not tell you what it looks like to see a child after a wreck that wasn't hooked in. One, in a car seat still, that wasn't hooked in properly to the car, they found across the field in some bushes. Scary.

 

[mom2many]

You will need to see if it is even possible. They do need to be belted to the frame, for the best protection. However if you are looking to just keep them from roaming around a mechanic will have the best idea's.

One thing to consider though is that car seats work best when facing forward. They aren't really meant to sit sideways.

 

[Mommyof4in11]

We had a 77 pace arrow and had to have seat belts re-installed in it. We went through our mechanic who added metal under the seat to add the safety belts to. In the end it worked but understand that the car seats don't work when hooked side ways but at least you have peace of mind. Don't short yourself on safety in the least.

 

[pancras]

You might want to consider an old 4Runner. The 2001 and later are pretty safe even by 2013 standards.

 

[akmom]

Uh... a new one is not in the budget. We got this one for a steal, so it's this or nothing!

 

[pancras]

Check with some mechanics unless you are sure you can create secure connection points for the belts. Secure connection points will be holes bored in the frame not just the sheet metal.

I actually put shoulder belts in a old VW bus (front seats) once and they certainly saved one life, maybe two. But it already had some secure connection points, if I recall correctly. I know they worked because I inspected the wrecked vehicle.

You might want to add shoulder straps to the front seats, particularly if it has a stub nose and rear engine like an old VW bus.