HELENA — Montana has a new law for child car seats going into effect this year. The safety devices can be frustrating at times for parents, but the new law better defines what type of device is needed for each age.

“No one ever plans to be in a crash, and our children are our most fragile passengers. So we want to make sure they’re protected in pre-crash position at all times,” Buckle Up Montana coordinator Tracie Kiesel told MTN.

(Watch to learn more about Montana's new child safety seat law)

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, proper use of a child car seat can reduce the risk of fatal injuries by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.

That’s one of the reasons the Montana Legislature adopted House Bill 586, sponsored by Mark Lee, D-Butte, this session. The bill aligns Montana's child car seat laws with federal standards.

Under the new law:

• A child under 2 years must be properly restrained in a rear-facing child safety seat that complies with federal safety standards.
• Children aged 2 to 4 must be in a rear-facing or forward-facing child safety seat with an internal harness.
• Children aged 4 to 8 need to be in a forward-facing child safety seat or a booster seat.
• If the child is 9 or older, or the child has outgrown the height and weight limits of a booster, they must be secured with a standard seat belt.
• HB 586 goes into effect Oct. 1, 2025

There’s always a risk of being involved in a crash when out on the road. In the United States, Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for kids, accounting for around 20 percent of adolescent deaths each year. However, proper seat belt use helps reduce the severity of injury in a crash.

“All the time, I’m hearing from law enforcement where people have been in significant crashes and walked away because everybody was wearing their seat belt or the kids were properly restrained in their car seats, as opposed to crashes where people were significantly injured and sometimes fatally,” noted

Numerous resources across Montana can help families properly install a car seat for their child. There’s help for families that need to obtain a car seat.