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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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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…

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 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…

A fatal crane collapse in Oshkosh earlier this month may have occurred due to an operator error. According to reports, witnesses said it occurred because the 52-ton girder was lowered a bit too quickly or the operator may have adjusted the crane’s position when the span was being put into place. A 35-year-old working…

The recent heat wave sends many people to one of the many pools, rivers or lakes in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, with an increase in water recreation time comes a need for reviewing water safety to prevent a tragedy from occurring. Already this summer several people have drowned in water-related accidents. A 4-year-old died in his…