Turn signals and seat belts

[elvis3006]

I own a 43 Ford GPW and a 1945 WC51 Truck neither have seat belts or turn signals and I live in Ontario. As of now is it still legal to drive these vehicles without turn signals and seat belts ? Thank you

[rob love]

I would be very surprised to see a province or state make seatbelts mandatory for vehicles that did not have them in the first place. Here in Manitoba, there is a cut-off date of 1970, so I am guessing the Dept of Transport for Caanda made them mandatory in that year.

Here is an excerpt from your province wrt seatbelts:

Seat belts

Seat belt assembly must not be removed or altered

106. (1) No person shall drive on a highway a motor vehicle in which a seat belt assembly required under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada) at the time that the vehicle was manufactured or imported into Canada has been removed, rendered partly or wholly inoperative, modified so as to reduce its effectiveness or is not operating properly through lack of maintenance.
Use of seat belt assembly by driver

(2) Every person who drives on a highway a motor vehicle in which a seat belt assembly is provided for the driver shall wear the complete seat belt assembly as required by subsection (5).

[elvis3006]

Originally Posted by rob love

I would be very surprised to see a province or state make seatbelts mandatory for vehicles that did not have them in the first place. Here in Manitoba, there is a cut-off date of 1970, so I am guessing the Dept of Transport for Caanda made them mandatory in that year.

Here is an excerpt from your province wrt seatbelts:

Seat belts

Seat belt assembly must not be removed or altered

106. (1) No person shall drive on a highway a motor vehicle in which a seat belt assembly required under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada) at the time that the vehicle was manufactured or imported into Canada has been removed, rendered partly or wholly inoperative, modified so as to reduce its effectiveness or is not operating properly through lack of maintenance.
Use of seat belt assembly by driver

(2) Every person who drives on a highway a motor vehicle in which a seat belt assembly is provided for the driver shall wear the complete seat belt assembly as required by subsection (5).

Thanks Rob I called MTO and they said basically a historic vehicle that was originally made without seatbelts prior to 1974 does not require them still, what I wish to confirm now is turn signal lights. My vehicles were never originally made with them. She could not find that provision in the Ontario Hwy act only because she did not have time to research it. So without having to read 500 pages lol I hope someone here can confirm this.

[Jordan Baker]

Same rule about what was orIginal at time of manufacturing applies for turn signals. I do believe that all vehicles must have one red brake light and no white lights turned on facing the rear unless the vehicle is reversing.

I believe the only requirement for turn signals on a vehicle regardless of age is if the vehicle is over a certain width. I seem to recal it is 80" wide.

[elvis3006]

Thank you for the help everyone.

[BCA]

In Ontario there is no exemption from having a licence plate light, even if not equipped at time of manufacture. For M-series vehicles like an M38, I run a short wire from a light on the licence plate bracket to the trailer plug receptacle and push it into an appropriate hoke for the tail light circuit.

[Les Kovacs]

Hi Elvis,

I just newly licensed a 67's M38A1 here in Ontario about 3 weeks ago. I do have military installed seat belts & turn signals but when I went to do my safety & then get it plated....both the garage and Service Ontario said that they are not required because they originally did not come with them from the factory....I was told by an ex mechanic in CFB Petawawa that the seat belts & turn signals were added by DOD in the early 80's just before the M38A1's were replaced.

lk

[rob love]

Les: Your mechanic is not telling you the truth. Those were both in the Jeeps, either from the factory (the signals) or add-on (the seatbelts) long before the 1980s.

[Eric B]

Hello

Based on the information for Ontario. Seatbelts added or modified must be done so by an authorized person, such as a dealership or vehicle manufacture. General mechanics and those in the category where I fit in do not qualify.

Lighting is different and anybody can upgrade or improve lighting. I made an LED light bar to attach to my Willys MBT when being pulled by my GPW.
It can also be hooked up on my GPW as it uses the trailer plug in.

It gives better lighting but can be removed without modifications.

sorry no photos ... yet.

Eric