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New Law Prohibits Cell Use By Teens, New Drivers
A new law will take effect in Wisconsin tomorrow, making it illegal for Wisconsin teens to talk on their cell phones while behind the wheel. Teens and anyone with a probationary license or instructional permit will be restricted from talking on a cell phone while driving. A fine of $20 to $40 will be…
NHTSA Stats: School Buses Safest Transportation To School
Parents should rest assured as they place their kid’s safety in the hands of the bus drivers each morning because school buses are the safest vehicles out there, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the National Highway Safety Administration. NHTSA said riding a school bus is statistically seven times safer than riding…
WI May Drop Requirements For Some Types Of Safety Outlets
An article in the Wisconsin State Journal this week said Gov. Scott Walker has a plan to remove many mandatory requirements in place to detect fire-causing conditions. Currently, builders must install arc-fault circuit-interrupter protection, ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection along with tamper-resistant recptacles in all new construction as well as in many types of remodels. The…
Study: Some Crash Avoidance Features Help Reduce Crashes
A study released by the Highway Loss Data Institute this summer showed that crash avoidance features help in the reduction of crashes. The study, based off of insurance claims analyses showed that forward collision avoidance systems, specifically those that brake autonomonously and adaptive headlights helped decrease crashes for drivers. Forward collision avoidance systems alert…
Study Shows Effects Of Stress On Short-Term Memory
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin- Madison have found that stress really affects short-term memory and keeps people from being very productive. Researchers studied how the short-term memory, which is designed to allow the brain to store large amounts of information for short periods of time, was affected by the introduction of stress. Researchers…
WI Appeals Court: Friend Not Liable For Paintball Injury
A Wisconsin state appeals court ruled a teen who shot his best friend in the eye during a paintball game is not liable for his injury suffered in Polk County in 2008. The judge dismissed the claims against the teen last month. According to court documents, Thirteen-year-old Alex Freese, a 14-year-old teen, along with…
New Standards Released For Black Box Data Collection
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration released standards for what data should be collected from black boxes in motor vehicles in the event of an accident. Beginning September 1, new vehicles equipped with event data recorders, otherwise known as black boxes, must meet certain criteria for data captured as well as accuracy and…
Distracted Driving Can Be Deadly
Distracted driving continues to be a deadly problem, not only in Wisconsin, but across the United States. When most people hear of distracted driving, they immediately think of texting or using a smartphone, but it actually encompasses much more than just those actions. Just last week, three teens died when the vehicle they were in…
WI Appeals Court: Driving After Huffing Cannot Be Charged As Drunk Driving
Motorists who huff or inhale contents in spray cans to get high should not be prosecuted as drunk driver a Wisconsin state appeals court ruled Wednesday. The court upheld the decision from a judge who had dismissed her charges since the chemical found in her system didn’t qualify as an intoxicant. According to the…
Traffic Fatalities Up 13.5% In First Quarter
Traffic fatalities increased 13.5 percent in the first three months of 2012, according to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the second largest increase since the NHTSA began tracking the data. The last increase during the first quarter was recorded in 2006 and was a 3.5 percent increase. In the preliminary…