Restraining Orders: Seat Belt Rules For Minibuses

Hello, good evening and welcome to the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

, or at least to that part of it concerned with seatbelts in minibuses. Theses regulations aren't exactly a riveting read but they're worthy enough. After all, it's been accepted for many years that proper seatbelts are a good thing to have in any vehicle. Quite apart from its being illegal to not wear seatbelts if fitted, your minibus insurance company may have something to say about their not being (a) available and (b) in use.

Seatbelt requirements vary, according to the age of the vehicle in question, the type of seats it has, how many passengers it can carry and what kind of passengers they are. For example, the means of restraining children or wheelchair users makes a difference. Conversely, the class of licence the minibus driver holds, or the type of permit used (if any) make no difference.

It makes sense, and not just for minibus insurance purposes, to observe the regulations assiduously, remembering that the state of the belts needs to be checked more often than in the compulsory yearly MOT test; seatbelts that are badly fitted and/or in poor condition are hardly likely to do what they should in an accident. Moreover, if a vehicle that should have seatbelts is used without them, the driver and the operator could be prosecuted. Remember, when looking at seatbelts or having them fitted, that more than just the belts are involved. The compatibly and state of repair of the seats, the vehicle's floor and/or wall, the belt anchorage and its reel mechanism are all highly relevant.

Two types of seatbelt are in use and recognised by minibus insurance concerns. Three point seatbelts - the lap-and-strap kind - are the items of choice. These restrain the upper body in an accident, and new minibuses will have factory fitted items of this type. Though they represent the legal minimum requirement for rear seats (but not for use with child passengers), two-point seatbelts, a.k.a. lap straps, are liable to be discontinued in the future. Apart from the fact that lap straps can't restrain a passenger's upper body during an accident, they can lead to internal injuries if used incorrectly.

Want to have seatbelts retro-fitted? Doing this is fine, provided certain points are remembered. This is especially so when belts are retro-fitted to a PSV or a vehicle operating under a Section 22 permit.

The fitting of seatbelts is a notifiable alteration. Meaning? Well, the Vehicle Inspectorate has to be told and a one-off inspection must be carried out at a Class V or VI testing station. The installation naturally has to pass the test. This requirement began in 1988 and if the vehicle has removable seats, they must be left aboard for the test. The installation of more seating means a further installation check would be required.

Your minibus insurance company takes a healthy interest in changes to minibus seats and seatbelts. If you were to alter the seats, add more of them or fit seatbelts without letting the insurance provider know, your may find out to your cost if you make a claim.

Apart from keeping your minibus insurance company updated, ensure that the seatbelt fitter is a fully qualified specialist. Some minibus manufacturers will retrofit seatbelts, using genuine parts to make a system that complies with all the regulations; expect written confirmation to prove this. Finally, it's wise to have the installation tested and witnessed by the Vehicle Certification Agency.

by: Louise Slee

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