Toyota Hiace van carrying rear passenger

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Sun 2 Apr 2006 13:43
Toyota Hiace van carrying rear passenger - Vanboy
A want to carry 3 adult passengers in my van, a private/light goods vehicle. The front seat allows two seatbelted passengers plus me the driver. The rear has a fixed bench seat (actually part of a bed base where a passenger can sit facing sideways behind the driver's seat.

I have checked the construction and use regulations and they state that no seat belts are required for rear passengers in a goods vehicle.
I do not want to fall foul of the law and need documentary evidence that it is legal in the UK to carry a passenger in the rear of the van in this manner? And what about France please?

Please can the team advise?

Many thanks in advance.
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Mon 3 Apr 2006 11:36
Toyota Hiace van carrying rear passenger - geoff1248
We have an old Hiace Camper Van in which two rear bench seats fold around to form a bed. It was converted to a camper van from new. I enquired at the local cop shop with exactly the same query. Their reply was that the original converter would have had to comply with the RTA regulations in force at the time of conversion. As seat belts were not fitted at the time of conversion, and there are no anchor points, they were not required to be fitted now.
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Mon 3 Apr 2006 12:36
Toyota Hiace van carrying rear passenger - Xileno {P}
Whether it's legally required or not surely isn't the issue. It's dangerous for both them and the front passengers who will get clobbered as they get flung forward.
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