Just out of curiosity, why class C dinette seats have no seatbelt for rear facing seats? I would think rear facing seats would be more safe in case of front crash. And since front crash would be more common than rear crash, shouldn't rear facing seats be preferred seating location? Is there a law that prohibit me from adding a seatbelt on the rear facing seat? Is there a federal regulation (FMVSS)against the rear facing seat seatbelt?

My Forest River Forest 3011DS has four sets of belts in the U-shaped dinette (1 forward facing, 2 side facing, 1 rear facing).

I'm just guessing? But if there is no seat belt, hopefully, no one will sit there. Now think about this.Rear facing on a dinette seat in an RV. Head on collision, or even a VERY sudden stop...??? what happens to the passenger facing backwards.His head will snap backwards because there's no head restraint! He'll end up with a snapped broken neck. I know this is probably extremely rare, but thinking like someone who would design a MH, this is the only thing I can think of why no seatbelt for rear facing seats.

You are right about the inner one with no head support. But outer one has slide-out wall over the bench back. I would assume that would be safer because your entire back is absorbing the crash force evenly instead of being concentrated on waist.

Mine does have seat belts, such as they are, at all four dinette positions (and also three more on the side-facing couch). Supposedly (from random Googling) federal DOT requirements are that there be at least as many seat belt equipped seats available as there are designated sleeping positions.(Edited for clarity.)

Hi my class C has four belts for the dinette.

Why no seatbelt for rear facing dinette seats? | Good Sam Community

MichMoose
Explorer
May 22, 2017
You are right about the inner one with no head support. But outer one has slide-out wall over the bench back. I would assume that would be safer because your entire back is absorbing the crash force evenly instead of being concentrated on waist.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
May 22, 2017
I'm just guessing? But if there is no seat belt, hopefully, no one will sit there. Now think about this.

Rear facing on a dinette seat in an RV. Head on collision, or even a VERY sudden stop...??? what happens to the passenger facing backwards.

His head will snap backwards because there's no head restraint! He'll end up with a snapped broken neck. I know this is probably extremely rare, but thinking like someone who would design a MH, this is the only thing I can think of why no seatbelt for rear facing seats.
mbutts
Explorer
May 22, 2017
My Forest River Forest 3011DS has four sets of belts in the U-shaped dinette (1 forward facing, 2 side facing, 1 rear facing).

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Why no seatbelt for rear facing dinette seats?

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