Injuries Down, Recalls Up for Children’s Products

 Posted on April 30, 2018 in Product Liability

When consumer products are aimed at children—or the care and well-being of children—the manufacturers and distributors of such products may be absolutely sure that children are not being placed in danger by using the products. Unfortunately, dozens are children’s products are recalled each year, and consumer advocacy groups suggest that there has been little, if any, progress made in recent years toward improving children’s product safety.

A New Report

Kids in Danger (KID) is a children’s advocacy group based in Chicago. Earlier this month, KID held press conference, alongside Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and representatives from other groups, to announce the release of a new report that looked at children’s product recalls in 2017. The report also outlined the effectiveness of recalls issued in 2016.

The annual report is an effort to educate the public and product manufacturers regarding dangerous children’s products. Despite releasing the report every year since 2002, KID officials say there is still a long way to go. “It is disheartening [that] we don’t appear to be much closer to effective recalls now despite enormous leaps in communication resources to reach consumers,” said KID executive director Nancy Cowles.

A Look at the Numbers

According to the report, 2017 saw the recall of 93 different children’s products nationwide, an increase of 22 percent over 2016. The recalls covered nearly 12 million total units of children’s products. The report also indicated that each recall required an average of 17.5 reported dangerous incidents before the recall was issued compared to 66 in 2016. An “incident” refers to a situation where the hazard presented itself but no injuries occurred.

All told, there were 1,630 reported incidents in 2017 and 153 reported injuries. The injuries were caused by just 16 products prior to being recalled. No deaths were reported related to children’s products last year. The most commonly recalled products were children’s plates, bowls, and other kitchenware.

Continuing Concerns

While safety advocates acknowledge that the number of injuries and incidents went down between 2016 and 2017, they say that manufacturers still are not doing enough. The report indicated that just 8 percent of manufacturers provided full reports on recalled products, often choosing “to omit or censor crucial data that should be public knowledge. Cowles said in a statement that she wants to see more transparency from manufacturers in getting information to consumers so that they can be fully informed about dangerous products and recalls.

Injured by a Dangerous Product?

If you or your child has suffered an injury caused by a dangerous or defective consumer product, you may be entitled to collect compensation. Contact an experienced product liability attorney in Rockford for guidance with your case. Call 815-215-7561 for a free consultation today.

Sources:

http://www.kidsindanger.org/2018/04/new-kid-report-shows-jump-in-2017-recalls/

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-childrens-product-recalls-report-20180403-story.html