Seat Belts

When I took my first test drive in my current coach I was surprised to find that there were no seat belts for both the driver and passenger. It felt awkward to me and frankly unsafe not to have them. The folks at Marathon said they are not required.

What is the deal, are busses exempt, and have any of you installed them aftermarket? accidents do happen.

And of course they certainly do not exist in the seating areas, sofas, dinette etc.

What are the laws in various states in this regard? I envision getting pulled over for speeding and the officer notices I do not have a seat belt on and gives me two tickets. I try and explain that buses don't have them, he gets ticked off and gives my wife one too.

What experiences have you all had in this regard. I thought for a moment that the original owner had them removed, and I was a sucker for not checking this out before I bought the coach.

It will be interesting to see the responses here.

Our 86 has ISRI seats and do have the lap belt and no shoulder belt. None for the house seats and I can tell you with certainty there never was.

We had a 86 Class-C Coachman and it had a belt for EVERY seat location in the camper that never got used were gathered up below the seats in the storage areas collecting dust, till I unbolted and removed them:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Joe Cannarozzi

It will be interesting to see the responses here.

Our 86 has ISRI seats and do have the lap belt and no shoulder belt. None for the house seats and I can tell you with certainty there never was.

We had a 86 Class-C Coachman and it had a belt for EVERY seat location in the camper that never got used were gathered up below the seats in the storage areas collecting dust, till I unbolted and removed them:rolleyes:

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Hello Joe,

We have the ISRI seat as well. I could not find any belts, lap or shoulder, and no evidence there ever were any. Besides the potential safety issues, what about the law?

I have a 94 marathon with ISRI drivers seat, it has a lap belt. The passenger seat is an extra wide, flexsteel brand or some such with tilt, recline, and leg support. It too has a lap belt.

The sofa has three lap belts installed, and those ate tucked in the crevice between the seat bottom and back because nobody ever sits there when we drive.

The original two barrel chairs and the dinette area has labels under the windows stating that these seats are not to be used when the vehicle is in motion, installed by Marathon.

We use the lap belts all the time.

Our 2000 Liberty has seat belts for the driver and passenger only. The drivers seat belt is mounted to the floor (an ISRI seat) and the passengers' is mounted to the seat frame.

Irregardless of the "law", I would have them installed. This may also be of importance to your insurance carrier.

Hopefully, you'll never need them.......

I'll betcha a good charter co. will know what the law is and the converters know the law regarding the house.

Paul having the belt mounted to the floor on an air ride seat is kinda weird. I've never seen that. Doesn't it snug you and slacken some when the seat is moving up and down on bad road? Both our ISRI have the lap belts mounted to the seat frame then there are secondary straps with slack that go from there to the floor.

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Originally Posted by phorner

Our 2000 Liberty has seat belts for the driver and passenger only. The drivers seat belt is mounted to the floor (an ISRI seat) and the passengers' is mounted to the seat frame.

Irregardless of the "law", I would have them installed. This may also be of importance to your insurance carrier.

Hopefully, you'll never need them.......

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I agree Paul. I think that the laws in Oregon at the time might have allowed Marathon to do this, and maybe Illinois is different. I noticed that a new commercial seat belt law has taken effect in Oregon in Jan. 2008 that may effect this. Regardless I will be asking for seat belts. can't imagine not having them.

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Originally Posted by Joe Cannarozzi

I'll betcha a good charter co. will know what the law is.

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Good idea. Jon will know the answer I'll bet.

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Originally Posted by Petervs

I have a 94 marathon with ISRI drivers seat, it has a lap belt. The passenger seat is an extra wide, flexsteel brand or some such with tilt, recline, and leg support. It too has a lap belt.

The sofa has three lap belts installed, and those ate tucked in the crevice between the seat bottom and back because nobody ever sits there when we drive.

The original two barrel chairs and the dinette area has labels under the windows stating that these seats are not to be used when the vehicle is in motion, installed by Marathon.

We use the lap belts all the time.

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Hello Peter,

I am wondering if your coach might have been, along with others customer requests as opposed to requirements. I'll bet that at least at Marathon (Oregon laws) they were not required. Of course this still does not explain the other 49 states. I plan on asking Marathon about this on Monday. After all how could they sell me a coach without seat belts if the law requires them? I just had Marathon replace the old TV in the salon, and had to meet DOT standards, welding it into place etc, paid dearly for this.

I don't know the law, but I do know all the conversions I have ever seen had lap belts for the driver and front seat passenger. I suspect yours may have been removed.

I have never seen or heard of a coach with shoulder belts and I wish I had a shoulder belt.

[QUOTE=Petervs;24424]I have a 94 marathon with ISRI drivers seat, it has a lap belt. The passenger seat is an extra wide, flexsteel brand or some such with tilt, recline, and leg support. It too has a lap belt.QUOTE]

We have the same setup like above in our 96 Country Coach

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Originally Posted by Jon Wehrenberg

I don't know the law, but I do know all the conversions I have ever seen had lap belts for the driver and front seat passenger. I suspect yours may have been removed.

I have never seen or heard of a coach with shoulder belts and I wish I had a shoulder belt.

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Good morning Jon,

I think you are probably correct about this. I will do some research on the law and get back. Joe suggested we contact a commercial coach company and ask what the laws are in the 50 states.

[QUOTE=Alek&Lucia;24434]

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Originally Posted by Petervs

I have a 94 marathon with ISRI drivers seat, it has a lap belt. The passenger seat is an extra wide, flexsteel brand or some such with tilt, recline, and leg support. It too has a lap belt.QUOTE]

We have the same setup like above in our 96 Country Coach

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I think Jon is correct, and the owner either didn't want them, or had them removed. I just had the floors done last week. They sent me pictures of the entry way without the drivers and passengers seat and center console to show me before and after, both without the seats etc. I see no evidence, traces of holes, tie downs etc on the floor for lap belts.

I have a 96 Marathon, it too has an IRSI and a lap belt. You almost have to wonder though, being as your face is about a foot from being the forward part of the vehicle, how much protection is being offered. It might just be holding you in place while you get munched! If a severe collision was imminent you might be better off bailing out of the seat and moving you body further to the rear.

I guess either way you are really going to mess up the wax job you just spent hours on :p

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Originally Posted by jello_jeep

I have a 96 Marathon, it too has an IRSI and a lap belt. You almost have to wonder though, being as your face is about a foot from being the forward part of the vehicle, how much protection is being offered. It might just be holding you in place while you get munched! If a severe collision was imminent you might be better off bailing out of the seat and moving you body further to the rear.

I guess either way you are really going to mess up the wax job you just spent hours on :p

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I think this concept might be like jumping up into the air just before the run away elevator hits the bottom floor.

Even though you "imagine" that seat belts wouldn't help there are instances where they would. Accidents happen when you least expect them.

One example might be, entering unexpected heavy fog on the highway, and you slow down a lot as you panic and disappear into the fog. The truck following you, still going full speed, rear ends you and with the belt you don't go out of the window.

Joe,

You are right... the lap belt on the ISRI seat is connected to the seat bracket, keeping it snugly in place, and then a secondary strap attaches to the floor.

The lap portion of the belt assembly doesn't move once secured and "rides" with the action of the seat. Essentially, the lap belt keeps the driver attached to the seat and the restraining straps keep the seat from leaving the floor.... at least in theory....

Hopefully, I'll never test the system!

I will defer to the engineers in the group, but I would reckon if you got rear ended you would be forced back into the seat as the bus went forward, so you wouldn't go out the winder anyway.......

I am more likely to be worried about belting up in a car, I can see where that could do you good, and keep your carcass lined up with the airbag..

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Originally Posted by JIM CHALOUPKA

Even though you "imagine" that seat belts wouldn't help there are instances where they would. Accidents happen when you least expect them.

One example might be, entering unexpected heavy fog on the highway, and you slow down a lot as you panic and disappear into the fog. The truck following you, still going full speed, rear ends you and with the belt you don't go out of the window.

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Hi 0533 Pam and Bruce,

My Marathon coach was built by Marathon to use as a demo coach, it was built to their specs, not some customer's. It was the first one they did that was 45 feet and had the Series 60.I believe the seat belts were original equipment.

I always thought Marathon was a little funny about how they wanted to retain separation between the Prevost part and the Marathon part as far as technology and equipment went. they tried real hard not to mess with wiring, pneumatics, etc that Prevost had built, rather they just added their stuff over and above. This has made troubleshooting relatively easier I think.

I suspect some previous owner of your coach removed the seat belts. And I think they could easily be reinstalled. There may have been carpet replacement that covers up the mounting holes?

Hi 0533. My Liberty has lap seat belts and I feel vulnerabele when not buckled. My previous plastic Coaches all had Shoulder type belts as well as belts for all couches and seats.
I just don't feel safe w/o my belt buckled. Beats me how much protection it gives.

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Originally Posted by garyde

Hi 0533. My Liberty has lap seat belts and I feel vulnerabele when not buckled. My previous plastic Coaches all had Shoulder type belts as well as belts for all couches and seats.
I just don't feel safe w/o my belt buckled. Beats me how much protection it gives.

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Good morning Gary,

I have both seats out of the coach while they redo the floor. I emailed Pat, and asked him to find some seat belts and get them installed. My wife has no interest in running without them.

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Originally Posted by Petervs

Hi 0533 Pam and Bruce,

My Marathon coach was built by Marathon to use as a demo coach, it was built to their specs, not some customer's. It was the first one they did that was 45 feet and had the Series 60.I believe the seat belts were original equipment.

I always thought Marathon was a little funny about how they wanted to retain separation between the Prevost part and the Marathon part as far as technology and equipment went. they tried real hard not to mess with wiring, pneumatics, etc that Prevost had built, rather they just added their stuff over and above. This has made troubleshooting relatively easier I think.

I suspect some previous owner of your coach removed the seat belts. And I think they could easily be reinstalled. There may have been carpet replacement that covers up the mounting holes?

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If Pat doesn't have any around, I guess they will have to come in from Quebec. I have all of the original build sheets, diagrams etc on my computer and found in the build sheets where they referred to the IRSI seats, along with seat belts and and a seat belt extension request. If you have seen these build sheets, they show standard stuff, then at the bottom of each page there are special customer requests in black type.

FWIW, This link has some old data about seatbelt requirements in every state. The newest info I could find is 2006. This is 2005 but is fairly comprehensive.

FYI, our CC has the same seat belts installed as some of the others that own this brand and the same as Peter's Marathon; Drivers and passenger plus belts on the couch. Feds say that being belted in side facing seats (couches) is unsafe.

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Originally Posted by Darl-Wilson

FWIW, This link has some old data about seatbelt requirements in every state. The newest info I could find is 2006. This is 2005 but is fairly comprehensive.

FYI, our CC has the same seat belts installed as some of the others that own this brand and the same as Peter's Marathon; Drivers and passenger plus belts on the couch. Feds say that being belted in side facing seats (couches) is unsafe.

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It was an oversite on my part, and must have been so for Marathon during the PDI. Oregon clearly requires seat belts on the link you sent me to. thanks for the info.

Bruce