When children are injured because of dangerous or defective toys, the toy manufacturer could be held liable for injuries or deaths. By familiarizing themselves with the latest toy safety risks and following a few simple tips, parents and caregivers can help keep kids safe.
When Holidays Bring Injuries
Some toys can bring danger to homes and leave innocent children injured in their wake. Even the top trending toys can be dangerous for kids.
In a recent “Trouble in Toyland” report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, 15 out of the 40 toys inspected were found to be a potential danger to children. Six out of 15 of the toys identified as dangerous were slime products. These products, which were a trending item during the last holiday season contain a dangerous level of boron that could poison children if ingested. Therefore, such products should be appropriately labeled to warn parents of that risk and advise that small children should not play with these products.
Other toys that have small parts present a choking hazard to young children. Some of the most popular must-have toys were found to have small parts but were not labeled as a potential choking hazard for children under the age of three or eight as required by law.
Keeping Children Safe this Holiday Season
Parents need to remain vigilant to keep their children from playing with unsafe toys. A good way to do this is by referring to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall list of unsafe products. Parents should also pay attention to age recommendations for toys and any warnings that may be printed on the toys’ packaging.
Young children often put things in their mouths. Toys that have small parts, including magnets, tiny balls of 1.75 inches or less, or even balloons are choking hazards and should not be used by little ones.
Older siblings should be encouraged to put their toys away when they are done playing if they have small parts or other possible hazards to their younger siblings. This can help keep small children from accessing toys that are dangerous to them.