Consumer Safety Group Lists Most Dangerous Toys for 2017
With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, the consumer safety group, World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH) has released its annual top 10 list of most dangerous toys. According to an NBC news report, the organization has been unveiling this annual list for more than 40 years. Topping the list of dangerous toys are fidget spinners, which contain small parts that can be a choking hazard. Mattel’s Wonder Woman sword has the potential to cause blunt-force injuries and Marvel’s Spider-Man drone has multiple rotating blades that can lead to eye and other bodily injuries.
Toys Pose Various Hazards
The nonprofit also says there have been at least 15 recalls representing nearly 2 million units of dangerous toys since December. The group’s president, Joan Siff, says national toy standards are inadequate as witnessed by a high number of toy-related recalls each year. Siff says the toys named each year have common hazards such as choking, strangulation, and laceration. Among other toys on the list are “Itty Bittys” plush stacking toys for babies that were recalled for fabric pieces that posed a choking hazard.
Despite being taken off store shelves this toy is still readily available online because sales on the Web are not really monitored for recalls. Also on the list is Nerf’s “Zombie Strike” crossbow, which poses the danger of facial and eye injuries because it uses pressurized a pull back lever to shoot soft projectiles. The toys that topped last year’s list were Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddles Family, Slimeball Slinger and Warcraft Doomhammer.
Choosing the Right Toys
If you are buying a toy for a child this holiday season, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure safety first. Here are a few tips for selecting the right toys:
- Make sure you read the labels on the package. What age group is that particular toy being sold for? What are the parts of the toy? Does it have any small parts? Buy toys that are appropriate for the child’s age.
- Go to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website to make sure that the toy you are about to purchase hasn’t been recalled. As mentioned before, while most recalled toys may be pulled off store shelves, they may still be sold online.
- Make sure the child’s parents are okay with the toy before you buy it. For example, the child’s parents may not want their little one to have a particular toy.
- Once you buy the toy, open the toy and inspect it to make sure there are no broken parts of damaged pieces. If you do find broken or damaged pieces, take it back to the store for an exchange or refund.
If your child has been injured by a defective toy, contact an experienced product liability lawyer to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.