Many RVs have seat belts on their beds. In this article, we have added easy DIY methods to install a seat belt with your RV bed.
Do RV Beds Have Seat Belts? Yes, the RV beds have seat belts, these prevent choking hazards, wind, or rollover during sleeping which enhances your safety. Seat belts for beds are available in a different style with affordable costs range and fulfill the approved USA criteria. All countries have its law and rules regulation which ensures safety measures while you are in driving mode.
Do RV Beds Have Seat Belts?
Whenever you travel in any vehicle like a camper, RV, and many other automobiles, you have to restrain yourself properly with a seatbelt.
RV is the best way to travel away from your home and enjoy vacations and beautiful journeys. Bed belts are necessary for your children’s safety.
Whether it is legally essential or not, it recommended that you should restrain yourself and your child from the forward vehicle seat. It is suitable for the crash ratio of your RVs.
Seatbelt law
All countries have their own rules and regulation related to children and people’s safety while you are driving.
These laws are change for each state, and you follow them when you decide to move to that place. The bed belt must use appropriately in many countries.
It ensures that it is effectively unlawful to transport your child if it cannot fit and comply with the manufacturer’s instructions.
All states need the traveler and driver in the RV front to wear a seatbelt. It is unnecessary to buckle up from the back but safe from the front and best during traveling.
Criteria for the RV size and risk of collision
The RV size and any other large vehicle tend to endure the accident risk, but it is a false sense of people’s perception.
However, in this case, the bigger size does not mean it is safer. The structural integrity of this motor home is the leading question for safety purposes.
One factor for this is due to the structural feature such as galley side-outs. A wood and aluminum frame uses to build up the rear compartment.
This type of structure has a great chance of crushing during collision or rollover.
The federal criteria followed by class A RV front side of bed belt. However, the front section also cannot accomplish the crash standard.
Sometimes, this motor home does not contain a sufficient amount of bed belt for the passengers. Lap-only seat belt available for the rear occupants.
RV bed seat belt requirements for the children
On the children’s age, the RV belt requirement follows this. You have to make sure that every child is appropriate to cover and safe according to state law.
If you choose to travel with children, keep in mind that the child restraint system cannot apply to bench-style bedding. There are some alternative tips for your children’s safety.
You have to use a non-motorized towable over a coach as a teardrop camper or 5th wheel trailer, which is safe.
Children can protect efficiently in a modern vehicle like towing. For securing your baby, you have to install custom seatbelts.
It meets the federal eat belt requirement or criteria. When you set up your motor home, it gives you the best comfort zone to reach your destination.
Infants do not secure in the RV rear-facing restraint system. You have to use the back-facing infant bed for forwarding facing.
In Washington state, the seatbelt law is applicable for all and each age of the person.
Why is a seat belt necessary for an RV bed?
If you want to protect your passengers or family members from choking hazards, you have to secure them.
You have to strap to the bed on four sides, which gives you the full-body harness or protection like tree trimmers.
It protects you from any harm except rollover, which occurs between the bed and straps.
Another way is to install a screen on your sides so that you remain in the confined area and not be thrown out or slip away.
The Webber, Velcro, and spyder strap are also best for your RV bed. There is a seatbelt, which also installs onto the middle bed section.
You can buy 3-seatbelts long and non-tractable along the snap-hook ends and adjust them through eyebolts below the mattress.
Types of the seat belts which are suitable for the RV bed
You have to choose the bed belt type, which meets the federal vehicle safety standard and already approve and registered.
It will work best for the RV and other camper and motor homes. These are high in quality, fulfill the safety measures, best sewed, assemble, and packed.
These are available in the hardware kit where all the necessary items present are sufficient for one person as per sitting or bed.
3 points retractable belt with long sash guide
It is a specific 3-point retractable belt that contains lap-built shoulder restraints. It also includes a long sash guide where shoulder anchor attachments are high than the typical passenger vehicle.
Out of the retractor box, this constraint stretches to 134. It is a universal fit that matches or compatible with all RV and motor home types.
The optional hardware kit contains many essential components like a mounting plate, shoulder bolt, angle bracket, and mounting hardware bolt kit. These are available in various color varieties like orange, black, grey, red, blue, etc.
These replacement belts are universal fit and do not have electrical wiring, so they cannot use with alarms or airbags. The price range is approximate $60-$69.
Push-button non-retractable seatbelt
These are simple and install with ease which approves through the FMVSS #209 and #302 push button lap belts.
The price is according to the 1bed belt per passenger. These types of seatbelt you choose contain six variable lengths with possible adjustments like 10, 60, 64, and 94 inches.
There are no shoulder harnesses along with the non-retractable lap belts. It also contains 212 hardware kits, which include all the essential items sufficient for one person.
The buckle color compatible with the belts. The cost ranges are $17-$19, which is affordable and cost-effective for you.
Lift lever-style lap belt
The classic retro look and aviation-style buckle along with the lift lever belt is a choice. The possible and maximum adjustment ranges include 60, 110, 140, and 74.
The colors available for this type of belt include white and ivory. These are a bit expensive, like $22-$23 approximately.
ALR 5 short housing belt
These are available with buckles only do not contain shoulder harness and also known as 2-point retractable push-button seatbelt.
These are also universal fir which suitable for your each RV seats and bed. These are stretchable, almost 52-53 inches, and you have a choice to select bucket or bench kind application.
It is best for the low seat configuration like short housing restraint. The available kit with all its essential component price is around $45-$50.
How to install a seat belt on an RV bed?
Bed belts are a necessary component for your safety measures. A seatbelt can insert by some lag bolt which direct fits into the bed bottom or sides.
You can also purchase a seatbelt from the country coach for around $30-$35. When you install the seat belt, you have to figure out the mount angel and secure it.
You can prefer the though bolting rather than the lag bolts. These are available in different sizes that are suitable for mounting like thru-bolts, 7/16 screw with fender washer.
The sofa, bed, or seat security depends on the number of belts set underneath.
Some built-in dinette has 3-sets. The bolts attach through the couch or bed, which tighten through flanges. It is in a rollover state because the screw moves from the floor to the outside.
Safety precautions
According to the RV seating, traveling sideways is not a suitable option for you, even belt present or not. Some argue that if passengers sit around the table like around dinette, you must never move with the table.
There are many suggestions for each person’s ideas. Some think that it is not favorable for passengers. This type of person should move in a different vehicle.
Some say that buckle up seatbelt every time, which enhances your safety rate and reduces the collision risk.
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