After getting reports of 12 fingertip amputations, Maclaren USA is recalling
one million strollers, which includes every umbrella stroller of that brand sold in the U.S. for the past 10 years. The amputations occurred when the children got their fingers caught in the stroller's hinge mechanism. According to Maclaren, at the time of the incidents the children were outside the stroller and a parent or caregiver was either opening it or folding it up.
The strollers were sold at Babies 'R' Us, Target, and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers from 1999 through November 2009 for between $100 and $360. The recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers including Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.
The
Consumer Product Safety Commission is advising owners of the strollers to stop using them and to
contact Maclaren to receive a free repair kit—a zippered fabric cover that prevents a child from inserting his or her finger into the hinges. Maclaren can be contacted at 877-688-2326 or by visiting the firm's Web site at
www.maclaren.us/recall.
Although all Maclaren strollers are certified by the
Juvenile Product Manufacturers Associations to meet
ASTM-International's voluntary safety standard for strollers, we found a loophole in the standard. The standard addresses scissoring, shearing and pinching, but it only applies to situations where the stroller is in the manufacturer's recommended use position—meaning unfolded with the hinges locked in place—to prevent injury to the occupant. Consumers Union, which sits on ASTM's stroller committee, will work to close that loophole in the future.
Strollers are first on the list of nursery products that cause injury to children under age five.
A report issued last week by the CPSC reported 12,400 hospital treated injuries related to strollers and carriages in 2008.
Our Take: When using any stroller, make sure to keep your child well away while you are unfolding or folding it. Double check to make sure all locks are fully engaged and the harness system buckled before taking your child out for a stroll.
—Don Mays
