The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) will launch a new self-certification program for Teton Pass aimed at drivers of certain types of vehicles.
On September 10, WYDOT announced the “WY22 SAFE PASS” program to improve driver safety on the Teton Pass.
Once the program takes effect, drivers of certain large vehicles who have not completed the “WY22 SAFE PASS” certification will be prohibited from traveling through the Teton Pass.
Drivers of the following types of vehicles must obtain certification to travel through the Teton Pass: recreational vehicles, vehicles towing trailers, or vehicles with a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle rating exceeding 10,000 pounds.
WYDOT expects the program to take effect in October 2026.
Drivers who wish to obtain certification will be able to do so through a website. Once certified, drivers will receive a certification letter valid for one year.
The certification course will require applicants to “review instructional materials, including documents, maps, and/or videos, related to safe driving practices on mountain passes, and will include information on navigating steep grades, applicable legal restrictions, protocols in the event of brake failure, weight and load limitations, and vehicle handling.”
The course will also inform drivers about alternative routes to avoid the Teton Pass.
“This program is not intended to replace other legal requirements for maintaining control of the vehicle; it is a self-certification process that helps people assess this pass and acknowledge: ‘Yes, I am confident in my equipment and my ability to drive safely through the Teton Pass,’” said WYDOT Director Darin Westby. “Well-informed drivers can make more informed decisions, which makes traveling through the pass safer for everyone.”
Until the program takes effect, WYDOT is asking drivers to slow down, obey posted speed limits, shift to a lower gear on steep inclines, avoid distractions while driving, and wear their seat belts.
There have been several serious accidents recently on the Teton Pass, including a multi-vehicle collision on July 7 involving a dump truck that lost control of its brakes. Two people were killed, and the dump truck driver, 22-year-old Laiton George McMinn of Idaho, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter.
