Older truck seat belt laws?

Question

i have a 1977 ford f100 that i'm restoring and i want to replace the retractable seat belts with just lap belts. will it be against the law in virginia

Answer 1

in 77 if the truck came with a shoulder belt yes it will be illegal to just replace it with a lap belt.

Answer 2

If your vehicle has a shoulder belt, its illegal to remove them.

Answer 3

Check with VA DMV or stop by any VA State inspection garage and ask to see the page on seat belt requirements.

Answer 4

I would check with your local department of motor vehicles before you do anything.

Seat-belts are a required item of inspection, on those vehicles in which front seat belt anchorages were a part of the manufacturers original equipment. When conducting a seat-belt check, front belts and anchorages are inspected.

Answer 5

Yes,seat belt laws are federal,if it came from the factory with them,they have to be there. Here in CA. ,it doesn't seem a big deal. They're looking for seat belts, few people know exactly when ALL laws were passed. But think twice if infants or young children are involved! Is the "retro" look worth it?

Answer 6

To the best of my knowledge, there's a federal DOT law that says any modification made to any vehicle is restricted to either upgrading it to meet more current laws, or must meet OEM (original equipment manufacturer) specks.  If the vehicle was originally made with lap and shoulder belt combo, then you'd be in violation of downgrading the safety feature of the vehicle, by simple putting lap belts on it.  Course, the officer would have to know already that the particular model you're driving originally had lap-and-shoulder combo safety belt.  If its a 1977 model, you might get away with it; being that today's traffic enforcement officers were either toddlers, or had not yet been born when your truck was manufactured.

Answer 7

If it didn't originally come with the shoulder restraints you are not required to install by federal law.

Answer 8

I believe you have to have the shoulder belt also.