Two Stars Out Of Five To Wyoming In MADD Assessment

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers gave Wyoming two stars out of five in a yearly rating of states' efforts to bring down the numbers of people driving while intoxicated.

Debbie Taylor with the MADD Central Wyoming Chapter, says even though Wyoming introduced its no refusal law this past July she says Wyoming didn't get a star for that, because MADD wants to see refusal laws linked to events like sobriety checkpoints.

"Wyoming does not participate in sobriety checkpoints. It is not legal in the state of Wyoming to have sobriety checkpoints."

She says other states find the highly publicized events keep drunk drivers off the road and are especially effective around holidays.

The two stars Wyoming did receive come for the automatic revocation of a drivers license for convicted offenders and the state's child endangerment laws.

The MADD organization assists victims of drunk-driver accidents by connecting them to support agencies. Taylor says they also hold, every-other-month, "Victim Impact Panels".

"We have speakers who share their stories on how drunk driving has effected their lives sometimes it involves a death, sometimes just an injury, and of course most people who attend are ordered to attend."

Taylor says on average they have around 60 clients in attendance under courtorder at the "Victim Impact Panels' held at the Natrona County Library. Fortunately shes says, the numbers have been going down of late.