The holidays can be overwhelming with all of the biggest sales of the year, wish lists and must-haves; for both young and old. However, many of the shopping will be centered on bringing joy and excitement to our children as they open their gifts on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, many of the gifts purchased are done without any regard to safety; causing more problems than delight. Therefore, with December being “safe toy” month, we are spreading this message to help with your safe and smart holiday shopping.
Toy Safety Recalls
For a free legal consultation, call 404-214-2001
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues recalls daily as a part of their mission to keep consumers safe from accident, injury and death. Unfortunately, these recalls are often ignored or individuals don’t pay attention to these announcements until it is too late. The CPSC estimates that there were 174,100 toy-related emergency room-treated injuries and 7 deaths in 2016 to children younger than 15. The consumer most at risk for injury or death are children ages 3 and under.
Tips for Safe Holiday Toy Shopping
As a part of their safety initiative, they ask consumers to do the following before purchasing toys:
- Check the label: Choose age appropriate toys by reading the age label on the toy. Children younger than 3 should not have access to toys with small parts, which can cause choking. Also avoid marbles and small balls for children under 3.
- Get safety gear: With scooters and other riding toys, supervision is key along with proper safety gear that includes helmets. Helmets should be worn properly at all times and they should be sized to fit. Avoid riding a scooter on a street or roadway with other motor vehicles.
- Hoverboards: Although not considered a toy, hoverboards should be compliant with UL 2272 safety standard.
- Be careful with magnets: High powered magnet sets are dangerous and should be kept away from children under 14. Building and play sets with small magnets should also be kept away from small children.
In addition to these tips, toysafety.org has released a top ten list of the worst toys for 2017.
At Kaine Law, we want every family to have a safe holiday season. The gift of giving should never be dangerous or harmful; so please take the time to check on the most up-to-date list of product recalls. Happy Holidays!
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