No. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration uses dummies that are 4-foot-11 and weigh 97 to 108 pounds to represent women.
Author Archives: Tom Kertscher / Wisconsin Watch
Tom Kertscher joined Wisconsin Watch as a full-time reporter in October 2024. He started as a fact checker in January 2023 and contributes to our collaboration with the The Gigafact Project to fight misinformation online. Kertscher is a former longtime newspaper reporter, including at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He is a contributing writer for Milwaukee Magazine and sports freelancer for The Associated Press.
Posted inFact briefs
In Wisconsin, do you need more proof of ID to vote than to buy a gun?
Yes. You need an ID to vote, but not for a private gun sale.
Posted inFact briefs
The end of Facebook fact-checking program means it’s up to all of us to spread the truth
Wisconsin Watch’s fact briefs weren’t affected by Mark Zuckerberg’s decision. In fact, they can still be posted to social media to combat misinformation.
Posted inFact briefs
Did Wisconsin taxpayers pay $1.6 million over an abortion restriction law that was ruled unconstitutional?
Yes. A federal judge ordered the state to pay plaintiffs $1.6 million after blocking a state abortion regulation.
Posted inFact briefs
Does the US have more mass shootings per person than any other nation?
Yes. Reasons include high gun ownership, cultural factors, sensationalized media coverage, and gaps in mental health care and law enforcement.
Posted inFact briefs
Has research found that armed officers deter school shootings?
No. A 2024 RAND report and two experts in mass shootings said they know of no research concluding that the presence of armed officers deters school shootings.
Posted inForward, Government
Forward: Our picks for favorite politics stories of the year
As the year winds down, we gave each state team reporter the assignment of picking a favorite story written by another member of the team. Here were their picks.
Posted inFact briefs
Does the US import more food than it exports?
Yes. The value of food imported into the U.S. exceeds what is exported.
Posted inFact briefs
Has Wisconsin’s Act 10 union law saved taxpayers billions of dollars?
Yes. The law achieved savings mainly by shifting costs for pension and health benefits to public employees.
Posted inFact briefs
Did Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford try to overturn Act 10?
Yes. Susan Crawford was among attorneys who sued seeking to overturn Act 10, which effectively ended collective bargaining for most Wisconsin public employee unions.
Posted inFact briefs
Do Wisconsin election officials verify citizenship when a person registers to vote?
No. But falsely claiming citizenship at registration is a felony, and there’s no evidence of noncitizens voting in meaningful numbers.
Posted inFact briefs
Is there a legal way to get raw milk in Wisconsin?
Yes. But only at a farm. Otherwise it is illegal to sell in the state of Wisconsin.