Car seat laws in Wyoming

No rear-facing requirement in state law. A rear-facing infant seat may not be placed in front of an active airbag. NHTSA and the AAP recommend 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.

Each child who has not reached their ninth birthday must be secured in a child safety restraint system (car seat or booster). The exception: a child whose lap and shoulder belt fits properly across the collarbone, chest and hips. 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?

Children under 9 must ride in a seat other than the front seat. They may ride in front if the vehicle has only one row of seats or all rear belts are used by other child passengers. NHTSA and the AAP recommend going further: keeping all children younger than 13 in the back seat.

Fine of up to $50 for a first offense, waived if the driver shows the court they bought, leased or got a proper restraint after the offense. Up to $100 for a second or later offense. Using a restraint against the manufacturer's instructions is also a violation.

NHTSA's locator lists 21 car seat inspection stations in Wyoming, in 16 cities and towns. Jackson has the most (3), then Casper, Powell and Rock Springs (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.