Hi all,We're hoping to hire an RV from San Fran to LA in January. We have 3 kids (4, 2, and 2 months!). Assuming we have car seats, can it be done legally (and safely?). We hired a 27 footer last summer in Ontario and had a fantastic time, but only had 2 kids then..My understanding is that all 3 must be forward facing, which is hard to achieve. The oldest could go into a booster if required, ie no tether needed, but still needs to be fwd facing, and I'd prefer to leave her in a tethered car seat if possible. 2yo is fwd facing and 2 mo old is in a rear facing capsule - they'll both need tethers. The front passenger seat is not an option (illegal and unsafe - and my wife will be in it).Has anyone ever done this? Any tips would be greatly appreciated on: - what sort of RV we would need - class C I know, but specific models that can accommodate 3 seats?- how to arrange seats?- any idea which company to go through (ex SF)?The only FAQs I could find on car seats were at least 7 years old and didn't really answer the question anyway..thanks in advance!Martin

What they don't know, ,,, just keep the kids safe and drive carefully. We traveled for years, kids didn't care.Or stay home. ?

If your heart isn't set on a Class C, what about a pick-up and a 5th wheel? Lots of room and car seats would be easily accommodated in the truck. In a Class C you'd probably need a unit that has two seatbelts on the dinette seat and chair that could face forward. My concern on that would be snugging the car seat tight enough in the chair for it to be safe. I'm sure others will have better suggestions-our Endura did not have seat belts in the dinette.What they don't know, ,,, just keep the kids safe and drive carefully.What WHO doesn't know? If you are suggesting driving without seatbelting kids in properly, you are crazy. It's never my driving I worry about-it's other idiots on the road. No matter how safe YOU may drive you can't control the other drivers, weather conditions, or unexpected events.

I would put the baby in the passengers front seat facing the rear and in a properly sized baby seat. Then the non driver parent would sit with the two children on the seat belted sofa just to the rear of the driver so the baby could be seen and attended by the non driving parent. I would not remove seat belts from children or baby seat while traveling so stops for bathroom and feeding would have to be made as needed. Many RV's have that set up. Booster seats may be needed as they restrict the children from slipping out of the large adult seat belts. I had three children in less than two years and had all three in child seats with seat belts across the back seat of our 1965 Dodge Dart convertible. They were all forward facing and I had to use car seat belts and child seat straps, and a toy attached to all the front loop bars that were padded. Of course they all wore hats and had sun tan lotion, and their Mom paid attention to them as I drove. We usually had songs to sing to make the ride a fun thing for them. Enjoy them as they grow up fast when they are close in age. I think you will find the auto rules differ from RV rules for front seat. That's because there is no back seat that faces forward in most RV's as they usually face sideways. Plus most RV's do not have front seat airbags which is why child seats can't be in front of cars and vehicles that have front air bags, as they injure the baby when they deploy.

I would put the baby in the passengers front seat facing the rearI believe it's illegal in Mass and IMHO not necessarily the safest spot. At the very least the airbag MUST be shut off, if there is one. Also, I think due to the age of the other kids they'd have to be facing forward as well.

I would suggest you call the CHP and ask what restraint rules apply.

RVing with 3 children under 5 | Good Sam Community

21 Replies

wny_pat1
Explorer
Dec 08, 2013
wbwood wrote:
wny_pat wrote:
I believe that Winnebago/Itasca are the only company out there that offers a approved dinette seat that is approved for proper seat belts.

Source?

Read it in either Motorhome Magazine or Family Motor Coaching Magazine sometime this past year. It was a article about a particular dinette set that was available on certain Winnebagos models. What caught my eye was the fact that the seats were the only ones on the market that actually met the federal standards for seat belts in that rear of a motorhome. Can't remember if they were the Benchmark Full Comfort Dinette or a different model.
Crowe
Explorer
Dec 08, 2013
Is what's "legal" always the safest- or even the most important- factor?

As a Grandma, I'm much less concerned with the "rules/laws" related to child transport than I am with the safety of the kids themselves.

The "rules/laws" are based on extensive testing and research. Unless you know more than they do, I'd take their advice. The same laws of physics will apply in the RV as in a regular vehicle. I don't think second-guessing what the research has proven is a good idea, i.e, kids should be in a forward-facing seat. I've no doubt the OP has the best interest of her children in mind, otherwise she would not have posted.
wbwood
Explorer
Dec 08, 2013
wny_pat wrote:
I believe that Winnebago/Itasca are the only company out there that offers a approved dinette seat that is approved for proper seat belts.

Source?
wny_pat1
Explorer
Dec 08, 2013
Child Passenger Safety Laws. And very few states exempt RV or Motorhomes for the Child Passenger Safety Laws! I believe that Winnebago/Itasca are the only company out there that offers a approved dinette seat that is approved for proper seat belts.
wbwood
Explorer
Dec 05, 2013
Our Class C has restraints at the dinette and on the sofa.

http://www.rvsafely.com/childreninrv.htm
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Dec 05, 2013
Is what's "legal" always the safest- or even the most important- factor?

As a Grandma, I'm much less concerned with the "rules/laws" related to child transport than I am with the safety of the kids themselves. I think that the same holds true for the O.P. here, and trust that she'll make the best possible decisions for her precious charges.
doxiemom11
Explorer II
Dec 05, 2013
I believe the rules being quoted are all for automobiles - private passenger vehicles. They may not apply in an RV. You may have to ask specifically about children restraint rules for an rv -- if there are any actually written. I'm guessing no one thought about that when the rules were written. In our class A, there are seatbelts for the sofa, one for the chair. There are no seatbelts for the dinette. It will depend on what you end up with as to where the seatbelts are located.
wbwood
Explorer
Dec 04, 2013
Contacting the CHP and DMV is a good idea. Only if the OP is willing to go with their answer. Sounds like they are wanting to go a certain (safest) route. Rental places aren't gonna help you with this because if they tell you one thing and then something happens, you will try to hold them reliable. I don't blame them.

You can always just follow the rv in your own car where you have it set up already for proper seating. The. You will have a car to drive. Might not be the most favorable option, but at least you will feel good about it.
bikendan
Explorer
Dec 04, 2013
Crowe wrote:
If your heart isn't set on a Class C, what about a pick-up and a 5th wheel? Lots of room and car seats would be easily accommodated in the truck.

the OP is looking to rent and i have never seen anyone rent a 5th wheel AND a truck big enough to tow it.

i agree about contacting CHP or DMV.
skipnchar
Explorer
Dec 04, 2013
You can have seats for your children INSTALLED by a qualified technician. There's MORE to it than just which way they are facing. The seat they're IN (not the booster but the seat the booster is strapped to) must be installed so as to be secure in an accident. I certainly don't agree with the "what they don't know" policy of protecting children.
Good luck / Skip

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RVing with 3 children under 5

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