Rear Passengers legal on the roads in CA?

[Jorgo]

Anyone in CA? Are rear passengers allowed in (what's left of) California? I'm looking for a 712M with the intention (as far as my wife knows) of hauling the kids and their stuff to the beach and back, as well as cruising around town. Just had a dark premonition of my first trip with all the kids in back.... getting pulled over and told that the law against passengers in the back of pickups in CA would apply.
Is there a distinction that allows for passengers in the PINZ????

Thanks!
Jorgo

[Jim LaGuardia]

Look at the title, if it reads "Utility", yes passengers are allowed but you need a class B endorsement if you carry more than 10 people.
If it is registered as a pick up truck you need to open(so DMV can see) all the seats up and go to DMV and get it reclassified as Utility.
Also install seat belts for passengers to shut the cops up(they are not required as you are DOT exempt as a Gray MArket vehicle and because it was not equipped from the factory with rear belts).
Read the seat belt laws, no vehicle is required to be retro fitted if not factory equipped with belts.
Once it is classified as Utility, you can carry people or cargo

[Jorgo]

I appreciate your insight. I'm sure we'll meetat some point in the future. I'm in San Diego and I'll have a Pinz by summer.

[Kirby]

So far the advice is correct, I totally agree with getting seat belts for the back if you have folks back there. It would quiet the Policeman, and more important, it is safer for all involved.

[Jimm391730]

California specific example: We had bicyles in the back of our 710, with my son seatbelted at the very back and all the canvas rolled up, so he was very visible. In city traffic a cop pulled up next to us and asked "is he wearing a seatbelt?" to which I replied "seatbelts for eight back there". He pulled away without another word.

The CA seatbelt law requires seatbelts for all passengers, irrespective of the year of vehicle manufacture. While this may be subject to argument (and Jim L. is correct in that the Federal standards do not require seatbelts in Pinzgauers, our trucks are exempt) the Federal law is superceeded by the more stringent state laws in most cases.

Seatbelts are an easy modification compared to spending time in court arguing about it! And no one can ever say that you did not apply due caution and good judgement because you added them.

Jim M.
710M and 712W in CA

[Bruce Berger]

I'm in California and was paranoid about being stopped for not having belts in the back. Installing the belts was likely less expensive than the ticket for not having them.

I got my belts here -

http://www.gotbelts.com

For the rear I installed a series of U-bolts behind the seats and got belts with snap hook ends. The U-bolts are also great for lashing down cargo.

This site also has lap/shoulder belts with a stiff cable mounted receiver very similar to the stock front belts.

[pinzwheeling]

Seatbelts are definitely a must, especially if you're going to have your kid(s) in the back. Going a step further, you might want to consider mounting seats either facing forward or backwards for added safety in case of a rollover or front impact.

Although the sideways facing seats are more fun, I hate to think what could happen on the road in an accident where the truck rolled over and the kids' head cracked the pavement as there is no head protection whatsoever sitting in the troop seats. Also, in a frontal impact, even with lap belts, there would some serious injuries afforded by flopping sideways.

I admit that I frequently travelled the highways with my kids in the back troop seats, my next vehicle will definitely have the seats facing forward or backwards with harnesses to add some real safety to the safety belts.

[krick3tt]

When my pinz was borrowed by the Dos XX folks, Dennis had to install seat belts for the passengers in the back. I think it is a good idea regardless of the law for whatever state you are in (Colorado too) if you intend to carry people in the back. Think of their safety, it's an easy mod and can also be easily removed.