What Summer Toys Are the Most Dangerous for Children?

When summertime arrives in Jackson, children have the opportunity to enjoy the hot weather and explore the outdoors. There are a number of children’s toys that are on the market that encourage developmental milestones. Toys like bicycles, swimming pools, and trampolines encourage physical fitness, balancing, coordination, self-awareness, and more.

Unfortunately, not every toy on the market is safe for kids to play with. There are some summer toys that are dangerous for children. It’s important for parents and guardians to be aware of what they’re children are playing with. If a child is wrongfully injured by a defective product, a personal injury claim can be filed. Pittman Roberts & Welsh, PLLC are here to support families and help injured parties recover from accidents that never should have happened in the first place.

Dangerous Summer Toys and Activities

According to the Summer Safety: Product Injury Patterns for Children 2018 report, injuries to children under the age of 15 are most likely to happen in the summer months. There are a number of toys and activities that contribute to those injuries. Injuries can happen inside and outside of the home. It’s important for consumers and parents to know which products are the most dangerous, so children can be properly supervised when playing.

Bicycles and Accessories

Learning to ride a bicycle is a rite of passage for many youngsters in the United States. It’s also the second most popular outdoor activity. Unfortunately, bicycles are also a major cause of injuries. In 2017, it’s estimated that more than 66 million riders were injured. Of those 66 million, more than 76,000 were between the ages of zero to nine. 26,000 of the injured children were seen in emergency rooms for traumatic brain injuries like concussions.

While accidents can happen if a child doesn’t properly know how to ride a bicycle and isn’t being supervised, it’s also possible for accidents to be caused by product defects. For example, in 2017 Norco Bicycles recalled their children’s bikes after it was discovered children could fall because the cranks could bend and break during use. Additionally, brain injuries are common when defective helmets don’t absorb the shock of impact when a child falls off their bike.

Swimming and Water Accessories

While swimming pools are a great place to beat the heat in Mississippi, unsupervised swimming can result in injuries or even death. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children one to four, and the second leading cause of accidental death among children five to nine. In recent years, accidental drownings in swimming pools have been on the rise.

Just as with bicycles, there are product recalls of water accessories. In February 2017, Helix Pool Slides were recalled after an increased risk of falling was discovered before reaching the water. There were 15 injury reports in regard to the slide. Some of the injuries included concussions, damaged teeth, lacerations, and bruises.

Trampolines

Trampolines allow children to work on their balance and coordination, but a defective product or improper use can result in injuries. Since 2014, the injury rate among children zero to nine has increased. In 2017, more than 73,000 kids were treated for trampoline-related injuries. Accidents are more likely to happen when two or more children use a trampoline at the same time.

One example of a trampoline recall happened in 2012. Over 23,000 trampolines from Sportspower were recalled because the metal legs could move out of position and puncture the jumping area. Jumpers were at risk for deep, penetrating puncture wounds and cuts and bruises.

Playground Equipment

Every year over 200,000 children are treated for playground-related injuries in emergency departments. For children ages one through nine, playground equipment is the leading cause of consumer-product related injuries outside the home. More than half of all playground injuries result in fractures or contusions.

One of the more recent playground equipment recalls happened in 2018. Play and Park Structures recalled a slide because of an entrapment hazard. There was a gap between the rails near the entrance to the slide that posed a risk for younger or smaller children.

Ride-on Toys

Common ride-on toys include wagons, hoverboard, scooters, and skateboards. While precautions, like wearing a helmet or ensuring the child understands how to use the toy, can help reduce accidents, injuries are still common. In 2017, it’s estimated that nearly 47,000 children were injured by ride-on toys.

Ride-on toy recalls are fairly common. For example, 2,000 Radio Flyer Wagon units were recalled in 2018 because of improper wiring that caused the motor to activate unintentionally. Hoverboards are also frequently recalled. Many of the recalls revolve around fire or overheating potential.

Even when you take safety precautions, there’s no guarantee your child won’t get hurt. If your child has been injured by what you believe to be a defective toy, you can take legal action to ensure the negligent company is held responsible for their actions. When you work with a lawyer from Pittman Roberts & Welsh, PLLC, we’ll also fight to get your family the compensation needed to pay for your child’s recovery. To learn more about filing a product liability claim, get in touch with our office today.