According to the Wyoming State Law, children should ride in a child restraint system until their 9th birthday.
What is the Car Seat Law in Wyoming?
Wyoming Statutes Legislature in Section 31-5-1303 (a) on child safety restraint system reads: "no person shall operate a passenger vehicle in this state unless each child who is a passenger in that vehicle and who has not reached his ninth birthday is properly secured in a child safety restraint system in a seat of the vehicle other than the front seat."
Wyoming Car Seat Laws Rear-Facing
The Wyoming car seat law doesn’t mention the age, weight, or height requirements for the rear-facing car seats.
According to the rules of NHTSA, it’s best to keep using a rear-facing car seat as long as the child is 2 years old.
Wyoming Forward Facing Car Seat Laws
No age and weight requirements on forward-facing car seats are mentioned in the Wyoming law either.
The child safety experts suggest using the forward-facing car seat when the child is at least 2 years of age.
You should always use the rear-facing car seat for as long as the child outgrows the safety limit of their rear-facing car seat.
That typically happens around 2-4 years of age.
What is The Law for Booster Seats in Wyoming?
Wyoming law doesn’t mention the age and weight limit for different seats.
According to the law, all children under 8 must travel in a child safety restraint system.
This system can be either rear-facing, forward-facing, or booster seat depending on the weight and height of your child.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol suggests using a belt-positioning booster seat for young children who are over 40 pounds. That’s also the minimum weight requirement from the rules from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Seat Belt Laws for Child in Wyoming
The Wyoming law does not say a word on seat belt law for a child.
According to guidelines from NHTSA, it’s best to keep using a booster seat until the seat belt fits the child properly. The lap-shoulder belt is the best for small children.
The lap and shoulder belts of the vehicle will fit properly across the collarbone, chest, and hips of the child and the belts do not pose a danger to the neck, face, or abdominal area of the child in the event of a crash or sudden stop.
Penalty for Breaking Car Seat Laws in Wyoming
Violating the Wyoming law will be fined $60 for the first offense and $110 for the second offense.
Wyoming Car Seat Laws Apply for
It’s the parent or guardian who holds the responsibility to make sure the child’s safe in the car.
The driver of the vehicle is rendering aid or assistance to the child or his parent or guardian;
When can a child sit in the front seat in Wyoming?
How old does a child have to be to ride in the front seat in Wyoming?
Wyoming laws in Section 31-5-1303 (a) say that children under 9 years old in the car seat must be placed in the back of the car.
If there is no back seat, the child seat can be placed in the front seat given that the airbag is turned off.
If all the back seats were taken by other children under 9 years of age, then the child can sit in the front seat, even if he or she is still below 9 years old.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation indicates that parents should buckle all children 12 years old or younger in the back seat.
Taxi Car Seat Law in Wyoming
The Wyoming rules do not mention the taxicab in the law.
If you’re going to take a taxi, it’s better to carry your daily used car seat and ask the taxi driver to wait for you to install the car seat.
Age, Weight, Height Requirements in Wyoming Law
9-year-old is the only age requirement mentioned in the Wyoming child restraint laws. No weight or height was mentioned.
However, following the law is the minimum but not the safest.
According to Wyoming Highway Patrol on child passenger safety.
Rear-facing car seats are suitable for infants from birth to at least 1 year old or at least 20 pounds.
Foreward-facing car seats are good for toddlers and preschoolers who are over 1 year old and weighing over 20 pounds to 40 pounds.
Booster seats can be used for big kids who are at least 40 pounds to 80 pounds.
The seat belt should be used for kids who are at least 8 years old.
Further Information
What you Need to Know – Four Car Seat Stages
Best Car Seats to Work with Wyoming Laws
Rear-Facing Car Seat for Infants and Small Toddlers
Doona Infant Car Seat Stroller Combo
- Weight Range: 4-35 lbs.
- Height Limit: 32 inches
- Lifespan: 6 years
- Type: Infant
- Stage: 1st
- Suitable for: Birth to 18 months old
More than this Doona car seat and stroller combo, there are a few excellent options available for riding infants in rear-facing. But not all will perform as well as it to allow 1-year-old infants to face the back for this long time, Chicco KeyFit 30 for example, features a low 30-lb weight limit that might not go through the first year.
Forward-Facing for Big Toddlers and Preschoolers
Graco Extend2Fit
- Weight Range: 4-50 lb. (RF) & 22-65 lb. (FF)
- Height Limit: 32 in. (RF) & 49 in. (FF)
- Lifespan: 10 years
- Type: Convertible
- Stage: 1st, 2nd
- Suitable for: Birth to 7 years old
This convertible car seat is great enough to meet the parent’s need to ride their kids in the rear- and front-facing for a longer time. It features 50-lb rear-facing weight limit to be one of the best rear-facing car seats for 2 years old.
When using it facing front, the 65-lb weight limit makes it go through the preschool ages – 3 years old, 4 years old, and 5 years old.
Booster Seats for Big Kids
Graco TurboBooster Backless Booster
- Weight Range: 40-100 lb.
- Height Limit: 43-57 in.
- Lifespan: 10 years
- Type: Booster
- Stage: 3rd
- Suitable for: 4-10 years old
$24.99*
The Graco TurboBooster is the most popular and best budget car seat to meet the State Law to ride older children, six or seven years old, or even bigger.
Sources
- Wyoming Legislature on child safety restraint system.
- Wyoming Highway Patrol on child passenger safety.