Associated Press - July 5, 2009 6:05 PM ET

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Gov. Dave Freudenthal says Wyoming has come a long way since the days when drivers measured the distance between cities by how many six packs they could drink on the way. But he says the state is still too lax on drunken driving.

He's created a new team to suggest laws and develop other ideas for reducing impaired driving in the state, a revamping of the old Governor's Council on Impaired Driving.

The council mainly concentrated on pushing stiffer penalties. It was behind a new law that went into effect this month that requires some offenders to install ignition interlocks that prevent vehicles from starting unless the driver is sober.

Freudenthal said the council has had mixed success in getting proposals through the Legislature over the last couple of years. He hopes the new group can improve communications with a broader group of policy makers.

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