Can I sit in the camper while it's being towed?

Eric Lai

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Q: Is it legal to sit in the back of a camper van/recreational vehicle at the kitchen table while it's driving, even though there are no seatbelts there?

A: Ontario transportation ministry spokesperson Bob Nichols replies:

Since July 1972, the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Act has required that motor home manufacturers install driver seat and right front passenger seatbelts.

In April 1999, the legislation was strengthened to require as many seatbelts in the motor home as there are sleeping positions. For example, a motor home that sleeps six persons requires four additional belts, in addition to the driver and front passenger belts.

While it isn't recommended that persons be in unbelted seating positions during transit, there is an exemption in HTA Regulation 613, section 10, which permits this if all other belted seating positions are taken.

This allows a limited class of motor vehicles, such as transit buses, historic vehicles, motor homes, etc., to continue to carry passengers where other legislation might otherwise prohibit it.

For most other vehicles, the "one person, one seatbelt" law, enacted in December 2006, requires every occupant in a motor vehicle to be properly buckled up while travelling in Ontario.

Eric Lai adds:

Basically, if all belted seating positions are occupied, passengers are permitted to sit in a non-belted location while a camper/RV is in motion – provided the vehicle wasn't originally manufactured with seatbelts in those positions.

The information above is for a motorized, self-contained camper van or RV only. It does not apply to a towed trailer, camper or mobile home. Under section 188 HTA, it's illegal to draw a house or boat trailer upon a highway with anyone inside.

Q: Should I rustproof my new car? The dealer says it's unnecessary given the long automaker rust warranty now offered.

A: Mohamed Bouchama, executive director of Carhelpcanada.com, a non-profit consumer group, replies:

Given our harsh winters, rustproofing a new vehicle is recommended if you intend to keep it a long time. The manufacturer's warranty only applies to rusting from the inside out and typically only covers you for the first five years.

Email your non-mechanical questions

to Eric Lai at wheels@thestar.ca. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

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