Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles
Nevada Department of Transportation
dmvnv.com | zerofatalitiesnv.com
The Laws of Nevada
Nevada Revised Statutes
require front and rear seat
occupants of almost all pas-
senger vehicles to wear safety
belts or ride in an approved
child restraint system.
(NRS 484D.495 and 484B.157)
The Laws of Physics
If you crash or slam on your
brakes, your car comes to
a sudden stop. But you will
keep moving until you, too,
are stopped – by the wind-
shield, dashboard, pavement or seat belt.
Air Bags
Air bags are more eective when
you’re buckled up and can be dan-
gerous if you’re not. You should
be seated at least 10” away from
the air bag as measured from the
center of the steering wheel to
your breastbone.
Air bags should be turned o only for those with
certain medical conditions, those who cannot sit 10”
away and when transporting young children in the
front seat.
Never place a rear-facing child
safety seat in front of an air bag!
Children under 12 should ride in
the back.
Expectant mothers should buckle
up and leave the air bag on. Never
place the lap belt above or on
your belly.
Did you know?
Seven of ten child
safety seats are in-
stalled improperly.
Free inspections
and advice are
oered through-
out Nevada. Call
866-SEAT-CHECK
or visit seatcheck.
org to nd one in
your area.
Buckle Up!
Child Seat Law
Any child less than 6 years of age who is less than
57 inches tall must ride in an approved child re-
straint system. Children under 2 years old must ride
in a rear-facing safety seat in the back seat of the
vehicle. (NRS 484B.157 eective January 1, 2022)
Best Practices
Keep children in the back seat until at least age 12.
Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size
and use it every time.
Birth – 2 Years
Use a rear-facing car seat through age 1 and until
your baby reaches the seat manufacturer’s height
and weight limits.
2 – 3 Years
Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible.
Then use a forward-facing toddler seat with a har-
ness until your toddler outgrows that seat’s limits.
4 – 7 Years
Once your child has outgrown the seat with a
harness, use a booster seat until he or she is large
enough for seat belts. Stay in the back seat.
8 – 12 Years
Use safety belts once they t properly. The lap belt
should lie across the thighs, not the stomach. The
shoulder belt should not cross the neck or face.
Seat Belt Tips
Never use just a lap belt across a child sitting in a
booster seat designed for shoulder belts.
Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child.
They can slide around and hit the occupant.
Never put a shoulder belt behind anyone’s arm or
back because it eliminates the protection for the up-
per part of the body and increases the risk of severe
injury in a crash.
Kids Aren’t Cargo!
Passengers under 18 may not
ride in the back of a pickup or
atbed truck. This does not
apply to farming and ranching
activity, parades or to camper
shells or slide-in campers. (NRS
484B.160)
Updated September 2021
