Montana's New Child Car Seat Law: What Parents Need to Know to Keep Kids Safe

Keeping our children safe in the car is a top priority for every parent. Now, child car seat laws in Montana have been updated to provide more clarity and enhanced safety standards. This new legislation, House Bill 586, aims to ensure our most fragile passengers are protected on the road.

Why the Change? Strengthening Child Passenger Safety

Montana passed its first seat belt legislation in 1987, but laws regarding child passenger protection had only been updated three times in the past 25 years. Prior to this recent change, the law's guidance was very broad, simply stating that children under age 6 and 60 pounds "must be transported and properly restrained in a child safety restraint". This old law lacked "detail" and didn't always put children in the "safest possible position" for travel.

Rep. Marc Lee, from Butte, is a certified Child Passenger Safety Instructor (CPS-I) sponsored House Bill 586. He stated that instructors used to "half-heartedly joke about how weak Montana’s laws are" regarding child passenger safety, which spurred him to act. The bill received significant bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. This new legislation aligns Montana's child car seat laws with federal standards and adds clear definitions for booster seats, child safety restraint systems, and "properly restrained".

The New Standards: A Breakdown for Parents

The new law replaces the old requirement with specific standards for different ages and stages, ensuring children are in the appropriate restraint system. Here's what you need to know:

• Children under 2 years of age: Must be properly restrained in a rear-facing child safety seat that complies with federal safety standards.

• Children aged 2 to 4 years old: Must be in a rear-facing seat or a forward-facing seat with an internal harness. The new federal safety standards for car seats indicate that the minimum weight to transition to forward facing is 2 years of age and must be 26.5 pounds or greater.

• Children aged 4 to 9 years old: Must be properly restrained in a forward-facing car seat with an internal harness or utilize a booster seat to safely use the car’s shoulder seat belt.

• Children at least 9 years of age OR who have outgrown the height or weight limits of a child booster seat as set by the manufacturer (whichever comes first): Must be secured with a motor vehicle adult safety belt.

• Recommendation →In the Back Seat until 13: It’s not part of the law,  but keeping kids in the back seat until age 13  keeps them away from the front airbags until bone and muscle structure is developed to the point where they can handle the impact forces that can cause more significant injuries to a growing body.

When Does This Law Take Effect?

House Bill 586 goes into effect on October 1, 2025.

Why This Matters: The Impact of Proper Restraint

This law is designed purely for child protection. While the law did not change any penalties, its importance cannot be overstated.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for kids, accounting for around 20 percent of adolescent deaths each year in the United States. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that proper use of a child car seat can reduce the risk of fatal injuries by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers. Law enforcement often reports that individuals, including children, have walked away from significant crashes because they were properly restrained in their car seats or wearing seat belts.

Here in Missoula, out of the 162 car seat checks I've personally conducted, 87% have had some form of misuse which is far above the 70% national misusage average.

Need Help? Resources Are Available!

Reach out to Drive Safe Missoula (sschmidt@missoulacounty.us) and we can help answer questions and help you ensure you know how to install your child's car seat properly.

Outside of Missoula? You might be able to find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Tech in your area here.