Seat Belts and Car Seats
AS 28.05.095 — a belt for everyone 16 and older, a car seat under one year or 20 pounds, a booster under 57 inches
Every person 16 or older riding in a moving vehicle on a highway wears a safety belt, and so does every driver. A driver does not carry a child under 16 without the right device, properly secured.
Who handles this in Alaska: Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Alaska directory.
| The child | Secured in |
|---|---|
| The childUnder one year, or under 20 pounds | Secured inA rear facing child safety seat |
| The childOne to under four, 20 pounds or more | Secured inA child restraint device |
| The childOver four and under eight, under 57 inches, 20 to under 65 pounds | Secured inA booster seat |
| The childOver four and past those limits | Secured inA seat belt |
| The childEight to under 16, within those limits | Secured inA child safety device or a belt, whichever the driver decides fits |
No stop for the belt alone. An officer may not stop or detain a vehicle to check whether adults are belted, or write that ticket, without probable cause to stop the vehicle, and the prosecution has to prove the officer saw the violation or had probable cause before the stop.
The rule does not reach school bus passengers unless the bus is required to have belts, mail and newspaper carriers on their routes, vehicles with no belts, and motorcycles, off highway vehicles, snowmobiles and similar vehicles.
Sources for this section (1)
- AS 28.05.095 — Use of seat belts and child safety devices required
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Alaska attorney.