HELENA - A new Montana law went into effect on Wednesday, Oct. 1, updating the state’s child passenger safety law.
The law comes from House Bill 586 and mandates the type of restraint a parent or caregiver must place on a child while in a motor vehicle.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, proper restraint reduces the risk for serious injury by about 71% in infants and 54% in toddlers.
The new law outlines that children under the age of 2 must be in a rear-facing harness seat, children between the ages of 2 and 4 can be in a rear or forward-facing harness seat, and those between 4 and 8 years old can be in a forward-facing harness or booster seat.
The Montana Department of Transportation does offer car seat checks, and resources can be found here.
