[mistergrumpy]

I haven't even got a van yet but have been thinking about the bed. I intend to re register as a camper van 'when' it's complete but does my R&R bed have to be crash tested? I've heard bits and bats banded around and even that it may fail an MOT if it's not?

My take on it, if it's correct, is that if I offer a seat without belts then it's treated as a bed as oppose to a seat and won't fail anything. The other thing is, does it have to be crash tested? I've built and welded a whole kit car myself and that's legally on the road having passed VOSA and DVLA and it never needed crash testing and is far more vulnerable. I'm positive I could build a sturdy steel framed bed with seat belt mounts.

In all honesty I reckon only maybe 1% of the time would I carry passengers on it but I'd like it right.

 

[moorsey]

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=152107

Try this one cheap and safe !

 

[trism286]

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=152107

Try this one cheap and safe !

I personally wouldnt worry too much if you make it soild with diagonal bracing for a forward load its going to be safe compared to whats likely to happen if you crash a camper where nothing else is crash tested.Theres no a whole lot of point being strapped in rigid if you get hit by a wardrobe going past at 70mph.Ive known of 2 people killed by unsecured loads in ans hitting them.thats why bulheads are so important.with a camper you dont really have this option.
dont forget its only a few years ago nobody used to bother about back seat belts.
yeah safety is important and minimize the risk as much as you can, but be objective. we are safer on the sofa but thats not living is it

 

[drmagpie]

Another concern would be insurance.
If you fit a seat in the back and are a competent welder and you bolt it down through the chassis box sections, it will be as safe as any factory seat belt mounting.
However, in the unlikely event of a crash where you were carrying back seat passengers (belted) and the seat did not have a proper certificate, you probably would not get a payout. The same would also apply if you were carrying passengers on an unbelted bed though, as you would be carrying them on 'unsafe' seating.
If you are not going to use the sat often, it is not that important.