We are in the process of searching for our new home on wheels. Today we looked at Diesel 1999 National RV Tradewinds. I really like the floor plan but the owner told us that there were no seat belts under the sofas. My husband thinks that if they weren't put in at the time then we don't legally need them. Is that true? I would really worry if we had children riding in the motorhome. I also wonder if they can be added with the original sofa and loveseat. Kathy & Jim
TRAILERKING said
10:51 PM Apr 16, 2014
That's kind of strange there is none. Maybe someone took them out? I have (3)three sets under each of the (2)two couches ("J" Sofa and Fold-Out). That's in a '99 Fleetwood American Dream.
kathy395 said
10:14 PM Apr 22, 2014
I would think that there would be one. He might be wrong.
Lucky Mike said
05:08 AM Apr 23, 2014
there should be belts for all forward facing fixed seating......I'll bet they are there, just never pulled out.
TRAILERKING said
08:32 AM Apr 23, 2014
Lucky Mike wrote:
there should be belts for all forward facing fixed seating......I'll bet they are there, just never pulled out.
Yeah mine are "Sideward" facing..........Probably would hurt if ever came into use. I guess better than flying around in the coach.
kathy395 said
11:49 AM Apr 23, 2014
This motorhome has a side "J" sofa and a love seat.
TRAILERKING said
11:55 AM Apr 23, 2014
Yes mine has a "J" Sofa and across from it it has a fold-out-to-bed couch. The seat belts are there in mine. They were in behind laying on the floor. I just bring them up as I need them. Usually just one for the Grand Daughter.
-- Edited by TRAILERKING on Wednesday 23rd of April 2014 11:56:33 AM
Lucky Mike said
12:16 PM Apr 23, 2014
they are there....they probably just got pushed back into the couch cushions or fell down inside.....the coach did not leave the factory without them.
not saying previous owners didn't remove them...but not easy or normal to do !
Howard said
02:14 PM Apr 23, 2014
In 1999, the sofa seatbelts weren't required by anybody. Some manufacturers were putting them in, but it wasn't until after 2000 that RVIA started requiring a seatbelt for every person that it was advertised the RV could sleep. That was just to have the RV certified for sale by RVIA. There still was no federal requirement at that time. That came later.
So, that RV may have had seatbelts or it may not have had them.
Legally, I don't know. There may be some type of grandfathered exemption for a coach that old, but I don't know if it's worth spending the time to figure that out. From a safety standpoint, it's better to have the seatbelts than not.
Now, if you put seatbelts in, there's a good chance you may have to install them yourself. Not many places will install seatbelts in RVs aftermarket. There is too much risk of liability should someone get injured.
I certainly wouldn't make this issue a deal breaker unless maybe the County Clerk where you register the RV would require installation of the seatbelts before you could get it registered. I doubt that, but I suppose it's possible.
We are in the process of searching for our new home on wheels. Today we looked at Diesel 1999 National RV Tradewinds. I really like the floor plan but the owner told us that there were no seat belts under the sofas. My husband thinks that if they weren't put in at the time then we don't legally need them. Is that true? I would really worry if we had children riding in the motorhome. I also wonder if they can be added with the original sofa and loveseat. Kathy & Jim
Yeah mine are "Sideward" facing..........Probably would hurt if ever came into use. I guess better than flying around in the coach.
Yes mine has a "J" Sofa and across from it it has a fold-out-to-bed couch. The seat belts are there in mine. They were in behind laying on the floor. I just bring them up as I need them. Usually just one for the Grand Daughter.
-- Edited by TRAILERKING on Wednesday 23rd of April 2014 11:56:33 AM
not saying previous owners didn't remove them...but not easy or normal to do !
In 1999, the sofa seatbelts weren't required by anybody. Some manufacturers were putting them in, but it wasn't until after 2000 that RVIA started requiring a seatbelt for every person that it was advertised the RV could sleep. That was just to have the RV certified for sale by RVIA. There still was no federal requirement at that time. That came later.
So, that RV may have had seatbelts or it may not have had them.
Legally, I don't know. There may be some type of grandfathered exemption for a coach that old, but I don't know if it's worth spending the time to figure that out.
From a safety standpoint, it's better to have the seatbelts than not.
Now, if you put seatbelts in, there's a good chance you may have to install them yourself. Not many places will install seatbelts in RVs aftermarket. There is too much risk of liability should someone get injured.
I certainly wouldn't make this issue a deal breaker unless maybe the County Clerk where you register the RV would require installation of the seatbelts before you could get it registered. I doubt that, but I suppose it's possible.
www.rvhelpdesk.com/seatbelt-laws.html
Kat