US Colleges Want Hoverboards Off Their Campuses

Schools across the U.S. – from New England to California – are calling for students to keep hoverboards off their campuses. Schools like American University, George Washington University, the University of Arkansas and UCLA, have all banned hoverboards from their campuses. Many schools also consider hoverboards to be contraband because they often lead to falling, collisions and most recently fires and explosions.

A report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) citing about 28 hoverboard-related fires across 19 states and more than 70 injuries that have sent people to emergency rooms nationwide, has generated widespread concern. What’s even more disturbing is that a number of hoverboard injuries have been serious such as concussions, fractures, contusions and internal organ injuries.

Hoverboards Catching Fire

CPSC investigators are in the process of testing new and damaged hoverboards in an attempt to find out why some of the models are catching fire or exploding. Several airlines have also banned hoverboards on their flights. Why do hoverboards catch fire? These devices are basically powered by lithium-ion batteries. However, since a lot of these toys are made in China, there is absolutely no regulatory control in terms of product quality or consistency. What we’re finding is that the hoverboards are in danger of catching fire if they are overcharged or if someone uses an incompatible or poorly-made charger.

This is still a head-scratcher because laptops and cell phones use lithium batteries, but don’t explode even when they are overcharged. So, what is it about these batteries that’s causing them to explode or ignite? Some recent reports also state that some hoverboards are catching fire even though their owners didn’t overcharge or use incompatible chargers. So, it simply appears that a number of the hoverboards that are out there may have defective components.

If You Have Been Injured

Our product defect attorneys are still waiting and watching what the CPSC has to say about these products. In the meantime, we are also looking into potential cases where individuals have been injured as a result of hoverboards. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a faulty hoverboard or defective accessories such as batteries or chargers, please contact our hoverboard injury lawyers to obtain more information about protecting your legal rights. You may be able to seek compensation for the injuries, damages and losses you’ve sustained.