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About WYGCID
The Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving is a community-focused group whose mission is to increase awareness, enforcement, and treatment of alcohol and drug impaired driving in Wyoming through strong, collaborative partnerships with public, private, and non-profit organizations, as well as serving as a forum for research, discussion, and planning to reduce incidences of impaired driving on Wyoming roadways.
Yes, there are a variety of Wyoming-based resources and organizations focused on helping prevent impaired driving, including:
- Injury Prevention Resources (IPR): A Wyoming-based nonprofit offering community-based safety education, alcohol monitoring, and supervised probation programs. Learn more at Injury Prevention Resources.
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD): Provides survivor support, advocacy, and educational campaigns to end impaired driving. Connect with them at MADD Wyoming.
- REDDI (Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately): A reporting initiative that encourages residents to take action. If you see an impaired driver, safely pull over and call 911 or the local dispatch.
- Wyoming Department of Health: WDH funds local Community Prevention Specialists across Wyoming counties. These specialists coordinate with coalitions to run grassroots programs targeting alcohol and substance abuse reduction. The Behavioral Health Division also provides resources for individuals to find certified DUI treatment providers to fulfill court or probation requirements.
Wyoming DUI Offenses and Penalties
A first-time DUI conviction carries maximum penalties of six months in jail and a $750 fine. This doesn’t include attorney and court fees, which can exceed $10,000.00.
If you are convicted of additional DUIs within a 10-year period, the penalties quickly increase, including mandatory jail time.
Wyoming Ignition Interlocks
The current Wyoming Interlock Program brochure answers all general questions related to Ignition Interlocks. Click the link to learn more.
Wyoming Substance-Abuse Treatment
The Wyoming Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Division oversees mental health and substance use programs throughout the state which help people get the services and support they need. https://health.wyo.gov/behavioralhealth/mhsa/treatment/
Wyoming Laws & Legal Implications
The legal Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level for drivers in Wyoming is 0.08; however, operating any motor vehicle under any degree of impairment is against the law in Wyoming.
In Wyoming, a DUI is generally considered a misdemeanor for the first, second, or third offense within a 10-year period. However, a fourth or subsequent DUI conviction within a 10-year period is prosecuted as a felony.
In Wyoming, there is no legal difference between a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) and a DWI (Driving While Impaired). While some states use these terms to separate different levels of impairment, Wyoming law identifies it as the same crime under Title 31.
In Wyoming, a DUI (officially referred to as DWUI) remains on your official driving history, maintained by the Wyoming Department of Transportation, for 10 years.
Wyoming’s laws, per Wyoming Statutes § 31-5-233, prohibit driving or being in control of a vehicle while incapable of safely doing so due to any substance. Operating under the influence of illegal drugs, prescription medications, or over-the-counter drugs carries penalties equivalent to alcohol-impaired DUIs.
Yes, a DUI (or DWUI) in Wyoming can result in the loss of your driver’s license. Licensing actions are handled both administratively by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and through the criminal court system. Refusing a chemical test and/or providing your BAC level, can increase the penalties.
Understanding BAC
BAC most commonly stands for Blood Alcohol Concentration (or Content), which is the percentage of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream. For example, a BAC of 0.08% means there are 0.08 grams of alcohol for every 100 milliliters of blood.
Several factors affect how quickly you reach 0.08%, including:
- Time Spent Drinking: Consuming drinks rapidly spikes your BAC. Your body eliminates alcohol at a slow, fixed rate of roughly 0.015% to 0.02% BAC per hour, meaning only time will lower your concentration level.
- Food Intake: Drinking on an empty stomach accelerates absorption.
- Body Composition: Muscle tissue absorbs alcohol better than fat. Individuals with higher body fat or smaller frames will reach 0.08% much faster. Likewise, women naturally produce less of the stomach enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase) needed to break down alcohol. They generally reach a higher BAC faster than men of equal weight.
Yes. In fact, studies show that women process alcohol 10% faster than men. Other factors show that most women will still have a higher BAC than men after drinking the same number of drinks.
On average, the body metabolizes alcohol at a rate of roughly 0.015% to 0.02% BAC per hour. If your BAC is at the legal driving limit of 0.08%, it may take 6 hours (or more) for your system to completely return to zero; however, it’s important to remember that everyone metabolizes alcohol at a different rate and any degree of impairment can result in a DUI.
No. Nothing can lower a BAC except time; coffee, cold showers, charcoal capsules, exercise, or chugging glasses of water will not help you sober up any faster.
Safe Rides & Designated Driver Services
If you’ve already been drinking and have no plan for a safe, sober ride home, booking a rideshare (Uber/Lyft) or using public transit are frequently cited options; however, rideshare and public transit coverage in Wyoming is not as widespread as in other states. Do a little research ahead of time to determine what options are available in your community. If Uber or Lyft are available, download their apps before you go out. You can also save the phone number for a local shuttle service, like Wind River Transportation Authority, which offers Safe Ride on the weekends (307-856-WRTA), to ensure you get home safely.
Uber availability: https://www.uber.com/global/en/r/united-states/wyoming/cities/
Lyft availability: https://www.lyft.com/rider/cities
Drug-Impaired Driving
If the medication impairs your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, you can receive a DUI. Talk to a pharmacist or healthcare provider if you have any questions about your medication.
Law enforcement officers detect drug-impairment using a combination of trained roadside observations, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), and specialized Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluations.
Yes, marijuana and alcohol DUIs carry the same criminal penalties in Wyoming. It is important to remember that marijuana is illegal in Wyoming for both recreational and medical use. The state maintains some of the strictest marijuana laws in the country, carrying serious penalties even for first-time possession.
Substance Abuse Help & Resources
Yes. Completing a treatment program may lead to reduced penalties and jail time. Courts view proactive rehabilitation as a sign of accountability, though failing to complete a mandated program may result in penalties.
The 24/7 Sobriety Program remains a cornerstone of Wyoming’s strategy for monitoring high-risk offenders. The program allows people with alcohol or drug related crimes to avoid jail on the condition that they don’t drink any alcohol or use any drugs. Law enforcement monitors participants closely, regularly testing for alcohol and drugs to ensure they’re following the program’s guidelines. If a participant doesn’t follow them, they’re given an immediate, and usually brief, incarceration. The program helps improve community safety by keeping potentially impaired drivers sober, while reducing the number of people in prison and jail.
Wyoming & National Statistics
An average of more than 50 people die in Wyoming each year from alcohol-involved crashes. Impaired driving has historically accounted for about one-third of all statewide traffic fatalities.
Wyoming consistently ranks among the worst states in the nation for impaired driving. The state’s DUI arrest rate and impaired-driving fatality rate per capita significantly exceed national averages.
In Wyoming, the 21–24 and 25–34 age groups consistently represent the highest percentages of alcohol-impaired deaths and fatal crashes. The 21–25 and 26–30 age brackets yield the highest volume of annual DUI arrests in the state. Impaired driving in Wyoming is heavily male dominated. Male drivers between the ages of 21 and 44 account for nearly half of all alcohol-involved traffic crashes.
According to recent Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) crash data, alcohol was a contributing factor in roughly 24.5% of all fatal crashes in the state.