(Fremont County, WY) – A $28,000 highway safety grant will help fund an events-based safe rides program in Fremont County, beginning New Year’s Eve in Lander and Riverton.
“The $28,000 grant will help us build on efforts by the Fremont County DUI Task Force to provide safe rides home for people during holiday festivities and public events,” said Fremont County Association of Governments Administrator Gary Michaud.
Citizens aware of a large public event where alcohol is being consumed are encouraged to contact Michaud at the Wind River Transportation Authority (856-7118).
The Fremont County DUI Task Force is an identified need targeted by the Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving. The task force consists of legislators, local elected officials, police, Wyoming highway troopers, sheriff’s deputies, local judges, representatives of the county attorney’s office, Fremont County Prevention Office, and others, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Fremont County DUI Task Force events include saturation patrols by the police departments in Lander, Riverton and Shoshoni, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Wyoming Highway Patrol.
The $28,000 highway safety grant is intended to help WYDOT reach its 2023 statewide goals of reducing the annual number of fatalities and serious injuries in crashes related to drunk drivers. Fremont County leads the state in impaired-related vehicle fatalities.
“This is not a category where we want to be the leader in Wyoming or the nation. Reducing impaired-related vehicle deaths should be a top priority for Fremont County. These tragedies have impacted all of us. We must take action,” Michaud said.