29 replies to this topic

[The Matt]

as above...

i have a copy in HTML format!!

ooooh, cool. would you mind posting up regulation 47 please?

I have also just found that securon do a 6 point turn release buckle harness that is 'e' marked and road legal type 690

[Dan]

Since the rules keep refering to the British Standard (notice the rules don't say anything about an E mark, just the BS) it would be good to know what the BS actually is for this. I'll try to find something.

[icklemini]

the E mark stuff is the european equivalant to a BS standard. as its the British construction and use regs it'll only ref BS numbers... somewhere there'll be a table of E number xyz = BS standard zxy or some such...

ok reg 47: <enjoy>

Seat belts

47

(1) This regulation applies to every vehicle to which regulation 46 applies.

(2) Save as provided in paragraph (4) a vehicle to which—

(a) this regulation applies which was first used before 1st April 1981 shall be provided with—


(i) a body-restraining belt, designed for use by an adult, for the driver’s seat; and

(ii) a body-restraining seat belt for the specified passenger’s seat (if any);


(b) this regulation applies which is first used on or after 1st April 1981 shall be provided with three-point seat belts for the driver’s seat and for the specified passenger’s seat (if any);


© [item 9 or 10 of the Table in regulation 46(3)] applies which is first used on or after 1st April 1987 shall be fitted with seat belts additional to those required by sub-paragraph (b) as follows—


(i) for any forward-facing front seat alongside the driver’s seat, not being a specified passenger’s seat, a seat belt which is a three-point belt, or a lap belt installed in accordance with paragraph 3.1.2.1 of Annex 1 to Community Directive 77/541 or a disabled person’s belt;

(ii) in the case of a passenger or dual-purpose vehicle having not more than two forward-facing seats behind the driver’s seat with either—


(A) an inertia reel belt for at least one of those seats, or


(B) a three-point belt, a lap belt, a disabled person’s belt or a child restraint for each of those seats;


(iii) in the case of a passenger or dual-purpose vehicle having more than two forward-facing seats behind the driver’s seat, with either—


(A) an inertia reel belt for one of those seats being an outboard seat and a three-point belt, a lap belt, a disabled person’s belt or a child restraint for at least one other of those seats;


(B) a three-point belt for one of those seats and either a child restraint or a disabled person’s belt for at least one other of those seats; or


© a three-point belt, a lap belt, a disabled person’s belt or a child restraint for each of those seats.


(d) [item 3 of the Table in regulation 46(3)] applies shall be fitted with seat belts as follows—


(i) for the driver’s seat and the specified passenger’s seat (if any) a three-point belt; and

(ii) for any forward-facing front seat which is not a specified passenger’s seat, a three-point belt or a lap belt installed in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph ©(i);


(e) [item 6 of the Table in regulation 46(3)] applies shall be equipped with seat belts which shall be three-point belts, lap belts or disabled person’s belts[;


(f) item 5 of the Table in regulation 46(3) applies shall be fitted—


(i) as respects the driver’s seat with a three-point belt or a lap belt; and

(ii) as respects every other forward-facing front seat with a three-point belt, a lap belt installed in accordance with paragraph 3.1.2.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 77/541 or a disabled person’s belt;


(g) item 7 of the Table in regulation 46(3) applies shall be fitted, as respects every forward-facing seat, with—


(i) an inertia reel belt;

(ii) a retractable lap belt installed in compliance with paragraph 3.1.10 of Annex I to Community Directive 96/36 or 2000/3;

(iii) a disabled person’s belt; or

(iv) a child restraint;


(h) item 7 of the Table in regulation 46(3) applies shall be fitted, as respects every rearward-facing seat, with—


(i) an inertia reel belt;

(ii) a retractable lap belt;

(iii) a disabled person’s belt; or

(iv) a child restraint;


(i) item 8 of the Table in regulation 46(3), as respects every forward-facing seat, with—


(i) an inertia reel belt;

(ii) a disabled person’s belt; or

(iii) a child restraint;


(j) item 8 of the Table in regulation 46(3), as respects every rearward-facing seat, with—


(i) an inertia reel belt;

(ii) a retractable lap belt;

(iii) a disabled person’s belt; or

(iv) a child restraint].


Where a lap belt is fitted to a forward-facing front seat of a minibus, a motor ambulance or a motor caravan, or to an exposed forward-facing seat [(other than the driver’s seat or any crew seat) of a coach either—

(i) there shall be provided padding to a depth of not less than 50mm, on that part of the surface or edge of any bar, or the top or edge of any screen or partition, which would be likely to be struck by the head of a passenger wearing the lap belt in the event of accident; or


(ii) the technical and installation requirements of Annex 4 to ECE Regulation 21 shall be met, in respect of any such bar, screen or partition,


but nothing in sub-paragraph (i) above shall require padding to be provided on any surface more than 1m from the centre of the line of intersection of the seat cushion and the back rest or more than 150 mm on either side of the longitudinal vertical plane which passes through the centre of that line, nor shall it require padding to be provided on any instrument panel of a minibus].

(3) Every seat belt for an adult, other than a disabled person’s belt, provided for a vehicle in accordance with [any of paragraphs (2)(b) to (j)] shall, except as provided in paragraph (6), comply with the installation requirements specified in paragraph 3.2.2 to 3.3.4 of Annex I to Community Directive 77/541[, 82/319, 90/628, 96/36 or 2000/3] whether or not [those Directives apply] to the vehicle.

(4) The requirements specified in paragraph (2) do not apply—

(a) to a vehicle while it is being used under a trade licence within the meaning of [section 11 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994];


(b) to a vehicle, not being a vehicle to which the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations apply, while it is being driven from premises of the manufacturer by whom it was made, or of a distributor of vehicles or dealer in vehicles—


(i) to premises of a distributor of or dealer in vehicles or of the purchaser of the vehicle, or

(ii) to premises of a person obtaining possession of the vehicle under a hiring agreement or hire-purchase agreement;


© in relation to any seat for which there is provided—


(i) a seat belt which bears a mark including the specification number of the British Standard for Passive Belt Systems, namely BS AU 183:1983 and including the registered certification trade mark of the British Standards Institution; . . .

(ii) a seat belt designed for use by an adult which is a harness belt comprising a lap belt and shoulder straps which bears a British Standard mark or a mark including the specification number for the British Standard for Seat Belt Assemblies for Motor Vehicles, namely BS 3254:1960 or [BS 3254: Part 1: 1988] and including the registered certification trade mark of the British Standards Institution, or [the marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 16 or 16A in Schedule 2 to those Regulations];

[(iii) a seat belt which satisfies the requirements of a standard corresponding to the British Standard referred to in sub-paragraph (i); or

(iv) a seat belt designed for use by an adult which is a harness belt comprising a lap belt and shoulder straps and which satisfies the requirements of a standard corresponding to any of the British Standards referred to in sub-paragraph (ii);]


(d) in relation to the driver’s seat or the specified passenger’s seat (if any) of a vehicle which has been specially designed and constructed, or specially adapted, for the use of a person suffering from some physical defect or disability, in a case where a disabled person’s belt for an adult person is provided for use for that seat;


(e) to a vehicle to which [item 4 of the Table in regulation 46(3)] applies.


[(4A) Vehicles constructed or adapted for the secure transport of prisoners shall not be required to comply with the requirements of paragraph (2) in relation to seats for persons other than the driver and any front seat passenger provided that those seats shall have seat belt anchorage points provided for them in accordance with regulation 46.]

(5) Every seat belt provided in pursuance of paragraph (2) shall be properly secured to the anchorage points provided for it in accordance with regulation 46; or, in the case of a child restraint, to anchorages specially provided for it or, in the case of a disabled person’s belt [first fitted before 1st October 2001], secured to the vehicle or to the seat which is being occupied by the person wearing the belt.

(6) Paragraph (3), in so far as it relates to the second paragraph of paragraph 3.3.2 of the Annex there mentioned (which concerns the locking or releasing of a seat belt by a single movement) does not apply in respect of a seat belt fitted for—

(a) a seat which is treated as a specified passenger’s seat by virtue of the provisions of sub-paragraph (ii) in the definition of “specified passenger’s seat” in paragraph (8); or


(b) any forward-facing seat for a passenger alongside the driver’s seat of a goods vehicle which has an unladen weight of more than 915 kg and has more than one such seat, any such seats for passengers being joined together in a single structure; or


© any seat (other than the driver’s seat) fitted to a coach.


(7) Every seat belt, other than a disabled person’s belt or a seat belt of a kind mentioned in paragraph [4©] above, provided for any person in a vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be legibly and permanently marked—

(a) ... , with a British Standard mark or a designated approval mark; . . .[; or]


[(b) with an EC Component Type-Approval Mark complying with Annex III to Community Directive 2000/3]


(b) . . ..


Provided this paragraph shall not operate so as to invalidate the exception permitted in paragraph (6).

[(7A) Paragraph (7) does not apply to—

(a) a seat belt for an adult . . . that satisfies the requirements of a standard corresponding to either of the British Standards referred to in sub-paragraph (i)(a) of the definition of “British Standard mark” in paragraph (8); or


(b) a child restraint that satisfies the requirements of a standard corresponding to any of the British Standards referred to in sub-paragraph (i)(b) of that definition.


(7B) For the purposes of this regulation a reference to a standard corresponding to a specified British Standard is a reference to—

(a) a standard or code of practice of a national standards body or equivalent body of any EEA State;


(b) any international standard recognised for use as a standard by any EEA State; or


© a technical specification recognised for use as a standard by a public authority of any EEA State,


where the standard, code of practice, international standard or technical specification provides in relation to seat belts, a level of safety equivalent to that provided by the British Standard and contains a requirement as respects the marking of seat belts equivalent to that provided by the British Standard.

(7C) For the purposes of paragraph (7B)—

(a) “EEA State” means a State which is a contracting Party to the EEA Agreement but, until the EEA Agreement comes into force in relation to Liechtenstein, does not include the state of Liechtenstein; and


(b) “EEA Agreement” means the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993.]


(8) In this regulation—

“body-restraining belt” means a seat belt designed to provide restraint for both the upper and lower parts of the trunk of the wearer in the event of an accident to the vehicle;

“British Standard mark” means a mark consisting of—


(i) the specification number of one of the following British Standards for Seat Belts Assemblies for Motor Vehicles, namely—


(a) if it is a seat belt for an adult, BS 3254:1960 [or BS 3254: Part 1: 1988]; or


(b) if it is a child restraint, BS 3254:1960, or BS 3254: 1960 as amended by Amendment No 16 published on 31st July 1986 under the number AMD 5210, [BS 3254: Part 2: 1988], [or BS 3254: Part 2: 1991] BS AU 185, BS AU 186 or 186a, BS AU 202 [, BS AU 202a or BS AU 202b]; and, in either case,


(ii) the registered certification trade mark of the British Standards Institution;


“child restraint” means a seat belt for the use of a young person which is designed either to be fitted directly to a suitable anchorage or to be used in conjunction with a seat belt for an adult and held in place by the restraining action of that belt:


Provided that for the purposes of paragraph (2)©(ii)(B) and (2)©(iii) it means only such seat belts fitted directly to a suitable anchorage and excludes belts marked with the specification numbers BS AU 185 and BS AU 186 or 186a.

“crew seat” has the same meaning as in regulation 3(1) of the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness Equipment, Use and Certification) Regulations 1981;

“designated approval mark” means


(a) if it is a seat belt other than a child restraint, the marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Approval Marks Regulations and shown at [items 16 and 16A] of Schedule 2 to those Regulations or the marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of those Regulations and shown at item 23[, 23A and 23B] in Schedule 4 to those Regulations, and

(b) if it is a child restraint, [any] of the markings designated as approval marks by regulation 4 of those Regulations and shown at [items 44, 44A [, 44B and 44C]] in Schedule 2 to those Regulations.


“disabled person’s belt” means a seat belt which has been specially designed or adapted for use by an adult or young person suffering from some physical defect or disability and which is intended for use solely by such a person;

“exposed forward-facing seat” means—


(i) a forward-facing seat (including any crew seat) and the driver’s seat; and

(ii) any other forward-facing seat which is not immediately behind and on the same horizontal plane as a forward-facing high-backed seat;


“forward-facing seat” means a seat which is attached to a vehicle so that it faces towards the front of the vehicle in such a manner that a line passing through the centre of both the front and the back of the seat is at an angle of 30 degrees or less to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

“forward-facing front seat” means—


(i) any forward-facing seat alongside the driver’s seat; or

(ii) if the vehicle normally has no seat which is a forward-facing front seat under sub-paragraph (i) of this definition, each forward-facing seat for a passenger which is foremost in the vehicle;


“forward-facing high-backed seat” means a forward-facing seat which is also a high-backed seat;

“high-backed seat” means a seat the highest part of which is at least 1 metre above the deck of the vehicle;

“inertia reel belt” means a three-point belt of either of the types required for a front outboard seating position by paragraph 3.1.1. of Annex 1 to Community Directive 77/541;

“lap belt” means a seat belt which passes across the front of the wearer’s pelvic region and which is designed for use by an adult;

[“retractable lap belt” means a lap belt with either an automatically locking retractor (as defined in paragraph 1.8.3 of Annex I to Community Directive 77/541) or an emergency locking retractor (as defined in paragraph 1.8.4 of Annex I to Community Directive 77/541);]

“seat” includes any part designed for the accommodation of one adult of a continuous seat designed for the accommodation of more than one adult;

“seat belt” means a belt intended to be worn by a person in a vehicle and designed to prevent or lessen injury to its wearer in the event of an accident to the vehicle and includes, in the case restraint, any special chair to which the belt is attached;

“specified passenger’s seat” means—


(i) in the case of a vehicle which has one forward-facing front seat alongside the driver’s seat, that seat, and in the case of a vehicle which has more than one such seat, the one furthest from the driver’s seat; or

(ii) if the vehicle normally has no seat which is the specified passenger’s seat under sub-paragraph (i) of this definition the forward-facing front seat for a passenger which is foremost in the vehicle and furthest from the driver’s seat, unless there is a fixed partition separating that seat from the space in front of it alongside the driver’s seat; and


“three-point belt” means a seat belt which—


(i) restrains the upper and lower parts of the torso;

(ii) includes a lap belt;

(iii) is anchored at not less than three points; and

(iv) is designed for use by an adult.


NOTES

Derivation Derived from the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1978, SI 1978/1017, reg 17.


Amendment This regulation is set out, as amended, by SI 1987/1133, regs 5, 8, Schedule.
Para (2): in sub-para © words “item 9 or 10 of the Table in regulation 46(3)” in square brackets substituted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (2)(a).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (2): in sub-para (d) words “item 3 of the Table in regulation 46(3)” in square brackets substituted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (2)(b).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (2): in sub-para (e) words “item 6 of the Table in regulation 46(3)” in square brackets substituted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (2)©.
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (2): sub-paras (f)–(j) inserted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (2)(d).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (2): words from “(other than thedriver’s seat” to “panel of a minibus” in square brackets substituted by SI 1989/1478, reg 4(2).
Para (3): words “any of paragraphs (2)(b) to (j)” in square brackets substituted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (3).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (3): words “, 82/319, 90/628, 96/36 or 2000/3” in square brackets substituted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (3).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (3): words “those Directives apply” in square brackets substituted by SI 1991/2003, reg 5(2).
Para (4): in sub-para (a) words “section 11 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994” in square brackets substituted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (4)(a).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (4): in sub-para ©(i) word omitted revoked by SI 1994/3270, reg 4(2).
Para (4): in sub-para ©(ii) words “BS 3254: Part 1: 1988” in square brackets substituted by SI 1989/1478, reg 4(3).
Para (4): in sub-para ©(ii) words from “the marking designated” to “those regulations” in square brackets inserted by SI 1994/3270, reg 4(2).
Para (4): sub-para ©(iii) and (iv) inserted by SI 1994/3270, reg 4(2).
Para (4): in sub-para (e) words “item 4 of the Table in regulation 46(3)” in square brackets substituted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (4)(b).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (4A): inserted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (5).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (5): words “first fitted before 1st October 2001” in square brackets inserted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (6).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (7): reference to “4©” in square brackets substituted by SI 1994/3270, reg 4(1), (3).
Para (7): in para (a) words omitted revoked by SI 1996/163, reg 4(2)(a), (b).
Para (7): first sub-para (b) and word “or” immediately preceeding it inserted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (7).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.
Para (7): second sub-para (b) revoked by SI 1996/163, reg 4(1), (2)(b).
Para (7A): inserted by SI 1994/3270, reg 4(4), words omitted from sub-para (a) revoked by SI 1996/163, reg 4(3).
Paras (7B), (7C): inserted by SI 1994/3270, reg 4(4).
Para (8): in definition “British Standard mark” in sub-para (i)(a) words “or BS 3254: Part 1: 1988” in square brackets substituted by SI 1989/1478, reg 4(4).
Para (8): in definition “British Standard mark” in sub-para (i)(b) words “BS 3254: Part 2: 1988” in square brackets substituted by SI 1989/1478, reg 4(4).
Para (8): in definition “British Standard mark” in sub-para (i)(b) words “or BS 3254: Part 2: 1991” in square brackets inserted by SI 1994/3270, reg 4(5).
Para (8): in definition “British Standard mark” in sub-para (i)(b) words “, BS AU 202a or BS AU 202b” in square brackets substituted by SI 1998/2429, reg 6(3)(a).
Date in force: 1 November 1998: see SI 1998/2429, reg 1.
Para (8): in definition “designated approval mark” in sub-para (a) words “items 16 and 16A” in square brackets substituted by SI 1989/1478, reg 4(4).
Para (8): in definition “designated approval mark” in sub-para (a) words “, 23A and 23B” in square brackets substituted by SI 1991/2003, reg 5(3).
Para (8): in definition “designated approval mark” in sub-para (b) word “any” in square brackets substituted by SI 1989/1478, reg 4(4).
Para (8): in definition “designated approval mark” in sub-para (b) words beginning with the words “items 44, 44A” in square brackets substituted by SI 1989/1478, reg 4(4).
Para (8): in definition “designated approval mark” in sub-para (b) words “, 44B and 44C” in square brackets substituted by SI 1998/2429, reg 6(3)(b).
Date in force: 1 November 1998: see SI 1998/2429, reg 1.
Para (8): definition “retractable lap belt” inserted by SI 2001/1043, regs 2, 4(1), (8).
Date in force: 1 October 2001: see SI 2001/1043, reg 1.

[Dan]

I wondered if that would ever end!

OK, I've been looking. The BSI want you to pay 33 quid for the standard! The closest I can get without spending is a brief transcript of it from some pages about SVA tests. The rules require that the buckle of a seatbelt must be opened by a single hand (not finger) oprating in a single direction and a single motion. So it couldn't be like a belt buckle or even a plastic squeezy buckle as there's two directions involved in that as well. The concern of most people who do the testing seems to be whether a rotary action counts as a single direction. A physisist would tell you it doesn't as it can't be described by a vector but people who live in the real world would probably accept it. But then again since you have to apply a force in two directions at once to the buckle in order to turn the catch without the whole buckle twisting it might not, but you kind of need to do that to a conventional buckle as well. It's not exactly black and white. It seems that there's more than one type of aircraft rotary buckle out there and more than one type of tester.

I did actually read all of the above (well, most of it!) and there's one interesting paragraph that says that any standard which applies to any country in the European Economic Area for this also applies to Britain. Or at least that's what it seems to say, someone who knows more about the law would need to read it to be sure. This means that seatbelts approved for use in some of the new eastern European countries would be allowed here, I can't imagine that Slovakia has the same regulations as we do for this, can you? It can't be that simple to beat the regs can it?

[Jammy]

The closest I can get without spending is a brief transcript of it from some pages about SVA tests. The rules require that....

Just to clarify, are these the rules of the SVA or MOT that your summarising?

[Jake Blues]

(a) this regulation applies which was first used before 1st April 1981 shall be provided with—
(i) a body-restraining belt, designed for use by an adult, for the driver’s seat; and
(ii) a body-restraining seat belt for the specified passenger’s seat (if any);

And does this mean that my 1979 Estate to van conversion doesn't need rear belts?
(Notwithstanding the fact that I will fit them if I keep the rear seat in)

[Dan]

I don't think car's need belts in the rear until '86 actually. The Mini estate went out of production in '83 and never had belts fitted.

The same rules apply to most things for the MOT and SVA, the only extra bits are some parts of the type approval test really, and things that don't get tested at MOT as it's assumed that if they are type approved they are acceptable.

[The Matt]

Thanks for posting that reg. up!

Read it all at work but couldn't reply today. It does sound that it's another one of those items that is down to the discretion of the tester.

I am tempted to go for one of the QR harnesses that I have seen (maybe even the securon one).

I would like to add a word of warning to this thread though!

Don't all go out and buy any old Aircraft style buckled harness, they are NOT all rated for road use and not all designed/made/tested to the necessary standards. If you fit harnesses that do not carry the necessary marks, it will not be road legal!!!

If I do go with some of these harnesses, I think it may be a good idea to carry receipts in the car, maybe even proof of them being road legal!

[kada1980]

When i went for SVA they check to see the e marks and they also check that they can be undone with one hand

[pikey7]

Well, I suppose the easy question is this:

Do the Caterham belts in MMM's post have a E-code/Kite/BS mark on them, and if so, who are they made by?

From that (assuming they are), we can find out if that manufacturer does any other lengths/fittings.

My guess.... they aren't e-marked. I've had a look through Securon, Willans, Sabelt and OMPs catalogues, and I can see none that are E-marked and have a QR fastener.

[The Matt]

I have also just found that securon do a 6 point turn release buckle harness that is 'e' marked and road legal type 690

their type 690 is 'e' marked with a QR fastener, as posted earlier :wink:

[kada1980]

I've got these willians there are E marked but don't have the twist QR buckle just ab normal seat belt fastener

Attached Files

•  DSCF0020.JPG   311.69K   2 downloads

[Dan]

In another interesting twist, Moss claim that the 1/4 turn harnesses they sell become road legal if you fit them with a crotch strap. I would guess that this is because the extra point stabilises the buckle enough to be able to turn it more easily without it twisting. That may also be why Securon's 6 point belt is apparantly approved.
Either that or it's because of the load it puts on the user in a crash. The webbing in race harnesses is a lot stronger and won't stretch at all whereas the webbing in a road belt could be designed to deform in a crash (which may be why you need to replace them) which would absorb some of the impact energy. Fitting the extra 1 or 2 points would spread the loading out over more of your body. Harness straps tend to be a narrower webbing as well which would increase the loading. Check to see if only 2" straps say they are E marked.

[The Matt]

Check to see if only 2" straps say they are E marked.

This is the jist of me looking into it so much (and probably reviving a boring old topic). I initially wanted a 3" wide strapped harness, so started to look if any were road legal, but all of the 3" wide strap ones were not 'E' marked.

This is why I have been pestering so much! :tongue:

As for the 'stretch' in the narrower webbing, a 3" strap with the same young's modulous as a 2" strap will stretch more under the same tensile load, so I think you're spot on with what you are saying Dan.

P'raps there is a limit to how rigid a safety harness/belt can be, so as to minimise seatbelt related injuries, I guess it may be contained within the relevant BS documents?

Anyway, it shows that some QR buckle harnesses are road legal, some aren't! lol

After all of that pestering it uncovered a bit of interesting info, thanks TMFers! :wink:

As for using the 6 point Securon 'type 690' because it is road legal (well 'E' marked) it still has the 2" wide webbing so isn't actually what I was looking for.

Well, I guess I'll just choose harnesses by their colour from now on, sod what type of buckle it has, and what width of webbing is irrelevant now! I wonder if Securon do pink ones?

[The Matt]

As for the 'stretch' in the narrower webbing, a 3" strap with the same young's modulous as a 2" strap will stretch more under the same tensile load,

wrote that totally wrong!

A 2" strap made out of a material with the same youngs modulus as the material used for a 3" strap will stretch more under the same load!!