Car seat laws in Alaska

A child less than one year old, or one year or older who weighs less than 20 pounds, must ride in a rear-facing child safety seat used according to the manufacturer's instructions. NHTSA and the AAP recommend going further: keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer. A child under age 1 should always ride rear-facing, and most convertible seats allow rear-facing for 2 years or more.

A child over four but under eight who is under 57 inches tall and weighs at least 20 but less than 65 pounds must ride in a booster seat secured by a seat belt, or in another child restraint system. NHTSA and the AAP recommend going further: using a belt-positioning booster seat after your child outgrows the harnessed seat, until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they reach about 4 feet 9 inches tall and are 8 to 12 years old. The AAP says an adult seat belt fits when: the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the upper thighs, not the belly; and the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with knees bent over the edge of the seat without slouching, and can stay that way for the whole trip. NHTSA uses the same lap-belt and shoulder-belt checks. The 5-step test, which California writes into law from January 1, 2027, asks: 1) Does the child sit all the way back against the seat? 2) Do the knees bend over the edge of the seat? 3) Does the shoulder belt snugly cross the center of the chest and shoulder, not the neck? 4) Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs? 5) Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

Alaska law doesn't say where in the car a child must sit. NHTSA and the AAP recommend keeping all children younger than 13 in the back seat.

The court bail schedule sets $50 for failing to provide a child safety device and $50 for failing to properly secure a child in one. A first charge for failing to provide a device may be dismissed on proof of correction; a second or later charge may not.

NHTSA's locator lists 24 car seat inspection stations in Alaska, in 19 cities and towns. Anchorage has the most (3), then Fairbanks, Kenai and Soldotna (2 each). Certified technicians check seats for free in most cases. Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP code and call the station before you go.