VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
Kids in a motorhome: car seats, seat belts and beds — what the law says
Travelling with children in an RV: mandatory car seats, which seats are legal, no riding in the living area, bunk beds, safety nets and booking tips.
A motorhome feels like a rolling house, but while it is moving it is a vehicle like any other: child restraint rules apply in full. Here is what to check before booking, because not every rental vehicle is family-ready.
Car seats: mandatory, but not everywhere in the vehicle
Across Europe, a child under 10 (or under 135-150 cm depending on the country) must travel in an approved restraint suited to their size. In a motorhome that means a seat fitted with a three-point belt and facing forwards or rearwards: side-facing benches are out, and a car seat cannot be fitted to a two-point lap belt. Note that Isofix anchors are rare in the living area — most seats install with the belt, so check your own seat’s compatibility. In the US and Canada, state and provincial laws are comparable and often stricter on boosters (up to age 8-9 in places).
R129 (i-Size): the standard replacing R44
On the equipment side, Europe has changed era: the R129 “i-Size” standard classifies seats by the child’s height rather than weight, mandates rear-facing travel until at least 15 months and adds side-impact testing. Approvals under the old R44 standard are no longer granted and new R44 seats can no longer be sold in the EU — though using an R44 seat you already own remains legal. Extended rear-facing is no regulatory whim: the study by Henary and colleagues published in 2007 in Injury Prevention (Google Scholar page) found that children under two travelling rear-facing are markedly less likely to be seriously injured than forward-facing, with the largest gap in side impacts. In a rental motorhome, where the seat is usually fitted with the vehicle belt, an R129 seat approved for belt installation is the simplest choice.
On the road: everyone buckled
The registered seating capacity is what counts: a 6-berth motorhome may have only 4 approved travel seats. Riding standing up, in the beds or around the table while the vehicle moves is illegal in Europe and North America alike (where riding in a towed caravan is also banned almost everywhere). When booking, filter on the number of belted seats, not just berths.
Children’s beds: alcoves, bunks and nets
At night, the overcab bed and bunks are a children’s favourite, with two precautions: a fall-prevention net or rail (often supplied — ask the owner), and a minimum age of around 6 recommended by manufacturers for high beds. A travel cot fits in most garages for babies.
Book smart as a family
Mention the children’s ages in your first message: many Yescapa and Goboony owners lend car seats and boosters, and professional firms rent them for €30-60 per trip — sometimes cheaper than checking yours onto a flight. Van-Comparator shows berths and travel seats for every offer; round it out with the departure checklist and which RV for which trip to pick the right family layout.
Free checklist: your first campervan trip
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