installing car seat in an old RV

[camperjen]

We have a '72 Tioga RV (small - 19') with only two bucket seats in the front. I am due in May and we use the RV 3-6 times a year.

My husband would like to bolt a car seat (or at least the base) to the floor of the RV about 12 inches back from the seats between locked cupboards (you have to unhook the latch to open them) and the bathroom door (also needs to be unlatched to open). I state those facts because I believe this is a very safe place for the car seat where items won't fall on top of the seat.

Is it legal? Is it safe? Is it an awful idea?

The only other place to put it would be in the very far back (nineteen feet away!) in the seat belts for the bench at the kitchen table.

I like the idea of the car seat up front because it allows the driver to worry about driving and the passenger (me) to tend to the baby if needed. It seems the most feasable option (rather than driving separately every time we go somewhere.)

Thanks in advance ~

[CPSDarren]

Legal? This would depend on your state laws.

Safe? No.

I would highly recommend a visit to a local, certified technician for advice. You can find one near you using the resources at http://www.seatcheck.net . Unfortunately, there are sometimes no safe options to restrain children in RVs, even in some newer ones. A technician could advise you if there are any safe options in yours during an inspection. Good luck!

[camperjen]

why would this be so unsafe? I'm awfully ignorant on these issues -- but still smart enough to ask how and why before I decide by myself.

Thank you for your reponse. ~ Jen

[CPSDarren]

Child restraints are intended to be installed using a seatbelt or LATCH system. This will spread crash forces over the wide area of the belt that secures the child seat to the vehicle, or to a reinforced section where the LATCH attachments are anchored. Installed properly, they have been crash tested to the maximum weight rating, probably with a safety margin above that.

Putting a bolt through a plastic shell will apply the crash forces to a very, very small area of the shell. In a severe crash, the child seat and child will put a load of many hundreds or even thousands of pounds to that area. High forces and low area to spread them results in extreme pressure on the plastic shell. The bolt is likely to rip through the plastic as if it was paper, leaving the child restraint unsecured.

In any case, we would not recommend any modifications that are not specifically endorsed by the child restraint and/or vehicle manufacturer. These types of installations are not crash tested, and your child essentially becomes the crash test dummy. Again, before doing anything like this, I would highly recommend a visit to a certified child passenger safety technician in your area, preferably a senior checker or instructor since you have an uncommon situation.