Following is an overview of the laws, limits, and fines as they relate to speeding traffic violations in the state of Wyoming.
Speed limits in Wyoming
80 mph: interstates
70 mph: four-lane divided highways
70 mph: other paved highways
65 mph: urban freeways
55 mph: unpaved roads
30 mph: residential and urban districts
20 mph: school zones
Wyoming code on reasonable and prudent speed
Maximum speed law:
According to section 31-5-301 of WY vehicle code, “…no person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed in excess of maximum limits.”
Minimum speed law:
Section 31-5-304(a) and 31-5-201(b) states:
“No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.”
“A person driving at less than the normal speed of traffic shall drive in the right-hand lane then available for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.”
Due to variations in speedometer calibration, tire size, and margins of error in speed-detecting technology, it’s uncommon for an officer to pull a driver over for going less than five miles above the speed limit. However, technically any amount over can be considered a speed violation so best practices are to stay within the limit.
While it may be difficult to fight a speeding ticket in Wyoming due to the absolute speed limit law, a driver may choose to go to court and claim their innocence based upon one of the following:
The driver may oppose the determination of speed. In order to claim this defense a driver must know how his or her speed was determined and then learn how to disprove its accuracy.
A driver may claim that an emergency situation caused the driver to break the speed limit in order to prevent injury or damage to themselves or others.
The driver may claim a case of mistaken identity. If a police officer clocks a driver speeding and subsequently has to find them again in traffic, it’s possible that they could have made a mistake and pulled the wrong car over.
Penalty for exceeding the speed limit in Wyoming
First-time violators may:
Be fined up to $200 (plus a fee per mile over, depending upon the amount by which a driver exceeds the speed limit)
Be sentenced to up to 30 days of jail time
Have their license suspended for up to one year
Penalty for reckless driving in Wyoming
There is no set speed in Wyoming at which violating the speed limit is considered reckless driving. That determination depends upon the circumstances surrounding the violation.
First-time violators may:
Be fined up to $750 (plus a surcharge of $100)
Be sentenced to up to six months of jail time
Have their license suspended for up to 90 days
In Wyoming, court costs are not assessed for exceeding interstate and expressway speed limits by less than five miles per hour.
