Seatbelts and Carseats

[britjojo]

How common do you think it is to still see cars on the road in the UK that are not fitted with seat belts, and how long do you think that the exclusion will be allowed from the normal rules (for classic cars not having to have them)?

I ultimately think that no car will be allowed on the road, regardless of age, without being retrofitted somehow, and I hate to think how that will tear up the cars.

Related to this, has anyone tried fitting child carseats in a classic car? Specifically the smaller models like the mini.

[Andy]

Not very common, I rarely see a car that old on the roads these days. Not here anyway. It may not be worth the expense and hassle trying to enforce it.

I think fitting childseats to a mini shouldn't be too hard - even in the back, I'm certain you can get (here at least) rear seat belt kits.

[jimberan]

I haven't seen a car in ages that did not have any seat belts. I guess you will only find it with really old cars.

[britjojo]

When I left the UK I still had friends who had cars with no rear belts, and they were their every day cars. Ok, so these people were broke with a capital B and running anything that they could keep going, but still the issue remains.

[shinningstar]

Cars with no rear belts are sold out in cheaper price in our town. I think you can find it too in some Salvage Yard. Some buyers are in budget nowadays. They prefer to buy used cars rather than brand new.

[britjojo]

I've never bought a new car in my life and I am not sure that I ever would. The largest chunk of depreciation of a car's value happens in the first two years of your owning it; it is worth less than you bought it for the minute you take it off the lot. So I wouldn't normally look at anything newer than two years old.

[xeric]

seatbelts are for the security reaons, might  be  on  old cars we cant get  but hope that we can fit ourself on the old cars, but all  the new cars coming as these d ays, will have the seatbelts.

people are aware of tieing seatbelts while driving.

[britjojo]

The point is xeric, that this is a forum for classic cars, which by definition are likely to be older. Older cars are less likely to have rear seat belts fitted, hence my starting this topic.

[Slowspinner]

Actually if any car was used before 1967 there is no legal requirement to have seat belts fitted although obviuosly if they can be fitted without destroying the character of the car it would be good from a safety point of view

[britjojo]

There seem to be a number of exceptions to laws by 'grandfathering' things through as they call it here. In this case I find it a real shame-surely a certain leeway for time to be fitted would be better than allowing people to not have them.

But at least people will only be killing themselves...

[xeric]

Actually if any car was used before 1967 there is no legal requirement to have seat belts fitted although obviuosly if they can be fitted without destroying the character of the car it would be good from a safety point of view

ofcourse they can be fitted  but only if the owner of the car wants them for  their safety.

[randle]

You aren't going to find a car ever that has been without a seatbelt,not these days. It's 2007 now its a golden rule that you have a seatbelt and now they are dishing out tickets if you are caught without one on while driving. So to be driving a car without a seatbelt would be silly.

[xeric]

yes, ofcourse that will be called silly because its  in  law now  and safety comes 1st.