Senate Bill 209 aims to limit the liability of manufacturers, distributors, sellers, installers, and owners of traffic control devices in Wisconsin. The bill stipulates that these parties are not liable for damages resulting from the design, manufacture, distribution, or installation of a traffic control device, provided that the device complies with the specifications outlined in the traffic control devices manual adopted by the Department of Transportation and operates as intended. Additionally, the bill establishes a rebuttable presumption of compliance, meaning that if the involved parties can demonstrate adherence to the applicable standards and that any deviations were authorized in writing, they are presumed to have complied with the manual.

The limitation of liability applies to claims for personal injury, property damage, or other losses related to the use of traffic control devices, including negligence and breach of warranty claims. However, this limitation does not hold if the claimant can prove that the device did not comply with the established specifications or did not operate as intended at the time of the incident. Overall, the bill seeks to provide legal protections for those involved in the traffic control device industry while ensuring that safety standards are maintained.