Advocates has urged Montana Governor Greg Gianforte to sign into law House Bill (HB) 586 to enhance protections for child passengers. When children are properly restrained in a safety seat that is appropriate for their age and size, their chance of being killed or seriously injured in a car crash is greatly reduced.
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children in the United States. In 2023, 1,019 children ages 14 and younger were killed in traffic crashes, representing three children killed each day on average. Across all age groups, injury risk is lowest (less than two percent) when children are placed in an age-appropriate restraint in the rear seat.
HB 586 will improve the current child passenger safety law by requiring children to be in rear facing safety seats through age two, children ages two to four to be in a rear facing or forward facing child safety seat, children ages four to eight to be in a forward facing child safety seat or booster seat and children who are nine years old or have outgrown a booster seat to be secured by a seat belt.
Read the full letter here.