Laramie Police Will ‘Aggressively’ Target Drunken Drivers This Holiday Weekend

The Laramie Police Department is joining law enforcement agencies across the country urging partygoers to "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" this Fourth of July weekend.

The department says 397 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes over the 2014 Fourth of July holiday, with 164 of those people dying in crashes involving a driver whose blood alcohol concentration was .08 or higher and 113 fatalities coming from crashes where a driver's blood alcohol concentration was .15 or higher, nearly twice the legal limit.

Laramie Police Lieutenant Gwen Smith says officers will be out in full force over the holiday weekend. She says officers will "aggressively" target "those who put lives in danger."

"If you're caught driving drunk this Independence Day, you will be arrested," Smith says. "The consequences of drunken driving are that serious."

The department recommends a number of ways to get home safe and avoid drunken driving:

• Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
• Designate a sober driver or use public transportation to get home safely.
• Download the Drive Sober Wyoming mobile app here.
• Use Laramie's Safe Ride program by calling 307-760-7433.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, don't hesitate to contact the Laramie Police Department by calling 911 or dispatch at 307-721-2526.
• If you know people who are about to drive or ride after drinking, take their keys and help the make other arrangements to arrive safely at their destination.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol is urging drivers to call the Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately (REDDI) hotline whenever they see impaired driving. That number is 1-800-442-9090. Callers should be prepared to give a description of the vehicle, its location and direction of travel.