Shoulder Harness Seat Belts in Dinette

[RetiredOne]

Has anyone seen or installed shoulder harness type seat belts (like in your car) in the dinette seating? Most of our rigs come with standard seat belts (which look marginal, at best) in that area, but I really wonder if they provide any safety?

We are taking a few of the rug rats camping next week, which means they sit at the dinette during the travel. Wondering if I should engineer some better seating restraints.... (I think it's my racing background that makes me even consider this...)

[Jagiven]

If you have a racing background, I would feel fairly comfortable you have the knowledge to what makes a good restraint. Being you ask, makes me think you have not figured out how to incorporate such a new restraint. Otherwise the RV industry would have been forced to install them, just like in minivans.

The problem really is where to attach the upper restraint??? There is no strength in the wall, and if the wall separated, you would not want the kid attached to it. I think, I would build up a metal frame from below through the dinette. How to build it stiff enough and to hid it would be challenging.

My Model T's is a challenge. I decided not to install any. In an accident, there is a good chance the car will crumble, roll, etc. With a restraint, I feel that I could cause more harm to myself or passengers if they were buckled in.

[RPR]

I would also be concerned with whiplash if their head is above top of the cushion. Cushion added to top of existing back cushion may help.

[Old and soft]

Lap belts are to hold your hips in place, shoulder belts are to keep your shoulders from moving foward, not to hold you down. Improper use can cause injuries.
http://www.crowenterprizes.com/Pages/Install.html

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

If you have a racing background, I would feel fairly comfortable you have the knowledge to what makes a good restraint. Being you ask, makes me think you have not figured out how to incorporate such a new restraint. Otherwise the RV industry would have been forced to install them, just like in minivans.

The problem really is where to attach the upper restraint??? There is no strength in the wall, and if the wall separated, you would not want the kid attached to it. I think, I would build up a metal frame from below through the dinette. How to build it stiff enough and to hid it would be challenging.

I can definitely design, engineer and fabricate a solution. Problem is, it would look like the 5 point harness systems and racing seat we install in the race cars..
The upper restraint point has to be above the shoulder, to eliminate the spinal compression in an accident, so it would stick up above the existing backrest, and would need to be aesthetic to keep wifey happy.

I was just wondering if anyone had seen a system already developed for RV's, so I don't have to start from scratch.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by RPR

I would also be concerned with whiplash if their head is above top of the cushion. Cushion added to top of existing back cushion may help.

That's an issue too. My first concern is the front facing seat, and stopping the torso/head from going forward and smashing into the table, in a front end collision. The rear facing seat has a wall behind it.

The whiplash is an issue too, but I can't make a permanent headrest, because my main TV is behind the front facing seat, so it would have to be removable, like in many cars.

Ahhh, just another project.....