Wyoming’s Population Tripled For Eclipse, So Did Highway Patrol Calls
The Wyoming Highway Patrol responded to nearly three times as many calls during the Aug. 18-Aug. 21 eclipse weekend as it did that same time a year ago, according to a news release.
Troopers responded to 7,505 calls compared to 2,598 calls during that weekend a year ago.
They did this while working extended shifts for the calls and to keep traffic moving.
On eclipse day alone, the Wyoming Department of Transportation counted more than 550,000 vehicles on the highways compared to a five-year average for the time. Estimating two people per vehicle, that tripled the state's population. This is raw data, does not consider vehicles that pass the same place multiple times, and does not reflect all traffic movements in the state because not all roads have counters.
Other Highway Patrol data reflect the population surge:
- It investigated 198 crashes compared to 98 crashes during that same time frame in 2016. Of the 198 crashes, 31 were with injury. One crash resulted in a fatality.
- Troopers stopped more than 5,000 vehicles, issued 3,312 citations, and 2,029 warnings for various violations. Seatbelt or child restraint violations accounted for 157 of the citations.
- Troopers also arrested 25 individuals for driving under the influence. They issued 62 citations for possession of illegal narcotics, 59 for possession of marijuana.