Passenger Carrying - Legality?

[MK1Chris]

OK - may be a stupid question but here goes anyway...

My MK1 CI motorhome has got two 'proper' seats in the cab... obviously one for the driver and one for the passenger but where would I stand if I had more passengers in the back of the van just sitting on the 'sofa-style' seats in the rear?

These don't have seatbelts so does anybody know the legalities of that?

I'm not planning on having 5 people in the back frying chips while shooting down the motorway, but on surf trips I'd like to be able to take at least 2 others in the back.

[Luke]

well as its a mk1 i think you'll be fine - my mk1 minibus had 11 seats only the front had belts

[rover]

You are fine carrying passengers sitting sideways, the powers that be will be changing the law if they get there way but it will only apply to newer vehicles

Rover.

[MK1Chris]

Cool - let's hope there's some surf next weekend ! !

[Altransit]

The legalities may be OK, but you need to check if your passengers are insured, sitting in the back

When I insured my minibus, the insurers all asked if the passenger seats were forward facing, and had seatbelts.

I got the impression that if no was the answer, then no was their answer

[rover]

Its different with a minibus, they come under PSV regulations even if being used for Social/domestic use, campers dont and can carry how ever many the vehicle is made for, ie, if the camper is a 'four berth' then it can carry four people including the driver

Rover.

[Altransit]

Thanks Rover

I didn't know that

[FredTransit]

As far as I know (running a 1986 minibus with some of the seats removed)
vehicles with less than 7 seats including the driver are governed by the seatbelt laws of a car of the same age, that is if a 1975 car didn't need seatbelts, your camper won't either.