Seat belts in a 90 - side facing bench seats

So what is the definitive legal position with regard to side facing bench seats and kids in the back ? My understanding is that they are legally OK in the back with no seatbelts but if you do try and fit them they must be approved as there are no anchorage points. My 90 will mostly be used with the kids in the back when the weather is particularly bad - snow and ice and stuff. Ideally I'd like them secured but not sure how to go about it.

Not 100% on law, but I think it's generally accepted that normal belts in side facing seats are more dangerous than without the belt, this is due to (imagine a head on collision) there body will be stopped but there neck thrown on to there shoulders and causing serious injury, however don't quote me on that should the worst happen
Hope that helped abit

i've been wondering this too. looked at my v5 and it's a 4x4 plg utility but the seating capacity is totally blank

If you'd bothered to do a search you'd ahve found that it is illegal to place a child in a non approved child restraint. There are no "approved Restraints" for side facing seats. SO it is illegal to restrain ya kids in the back of a vehicle with side facing seats.

To firther complicate things Kids have priority over adults for the available forwards facing seats fitted with seat belts. so ya missus will have to travel in the back while 1 of the kids goes in the front seat.

If you've got kids get a 110CSW or a disco. before someone kills them, in a RTC..

Try telling the old bill that you don't need seat belts with side facing seats :lol

I'm pretty sure seat belts on side facing seats are illegal, they are certainly a bad idea. I put forward facing seats in the back of my 90 so the kids are OK

some good info there, thanks redhand, i better look further into the legal side of the front centre seat!!!

Two posts in the time it took to write that! Lol

lanny man 90 said:

Try telling the old bill that you don't need seat belts with side facing seats :lol

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Tis simple. jJst refer him to the nearest MOT station.. Sidefacing seats are not tested as part of the MOT. Because they are not required..

redhand said:

Tis simple. jJst refer him to the nearest MOT station.. Sidefacing seats are not tested as part of the MOT. Because they are not required..

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Is that b4 or after the £60 fine

I even offered to google it for the copper
His reply was and I quote " any seat needs a seat belt

What's the definition of a child in those circumstances ?

Also ive got three passenger seats with shoulder seatbelts and two forward facing seats with just lap belts.

So if you have more kids than the three shoulder belts seats .....which seats are best the front facing with lap belts or side facing ones with lap belts ?

110woman said:

What's the definition of a child in those circumstances ? Aged 12 or 153cm Tall (IIRC)

Also ive got three passenger seats with shoulder seatbelts and two forward facing seats with just lap belts.

So if you have more kids than the three shoulder belts seats .....which seats are best the front facing with lap belts or side facing ones with lap belts ?

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forwards with lapbelts. Lapbelts on Side facing seats, in a crash will exert so much sideways leverage on a spine that it can easily snap it clean in 2.

Ok ta x...so next question ....... If your putting kids over 12 into the back coz youve run out of forward seats better to have belts on or leave them off ?

lanny man 90 said:

Is that b4 or after the £60 fine

I even offered to google it for the copper
His reply was and I quote " any seat needs a seat belt

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He's talking **** however he could do you with carrying a person in a manner likely to endanger them..

Also if ya 110 has more than 11 seats it's a Bus and all children must have properly fitted seats and belts

110woman said:

Ok ta x...so next question ....... If your putting kids over 12 into the back coz youve run out of forward seats better to have belts on or leave them off ?

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Belts off

redhand said:

He's talking **** however he could do you with carrying a person in a manner likely to endanger them..

Also if ya 110 has more than 11 seats it's a Bus and all children must have properly fitted seats and belts

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Well im right confused over the whole thing. Am i better off just getting rid of tje belts in the back then ?

Wish theyd work out once and for all how many seats my 110 actually has ....my v5 is blank too

Sorry, I've got my thick head on tonight. Would a child seat be ok in the front centre seat of a 90 with just the lap belt.

redhand said:

Belts off

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but then that is illegal.

No belts are required to be fitted to sideways facing seats.

BUT where seatbelts are fitted they must be worn.

another of our laws great contradictions.

redhand said:

He's talking **** however he could do you with carrying a person in a manner likely to endanger them..

Also if ya 110 has more than 11 seats it's a Bus and all children must have properly fitted seats and belts

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I know he's talking **** an you know he's taking **** but if you tell him he's talking **** then you'll probably end up in the cells for the night so what the fook do you do. argue with the copper till your blue in the face an probably end up arrested or take your £60 fine like a good little victim

lanny man 90 said:

I know he's talking **** an you know he's taking **** but if you tell him he's talking **** then you'll probably end up in the cells for the night so what the fook do you do. argue with the copper till your blue in the face an probably end up arrested or take your £60 fine like a good little victim

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You should have contested it, he doesn't know the law correctly, to be honest there are many traffic officers who don't know the law 100% and they fill in the blanks with what in their mind should be the rules! You can contest and you would win. With motor vehicles they have to comply to the original conditions of construction and not the latest set of regulations, this is why pre 87 vehicles have no side repeaters e.t.c.

As for the seatbelts, lap belts on side facing seats are highly dangerous and should be removed from the vehicle. if you was in an RTA then the belt would keep the waist from moving and exert massive sideways forces on the pelvis and spine, the whiplash generated would also cause massive muscle damage. It is alot safer to 'take the impact' than to be restrained, neither is a great option and for that reason many people fit forward facing seats. I personally have kept my benches but then they get used about once every two months and always by adults who understand what they are letting themselves in for!