Gift Giving Safety Tips: How NOT to Injure a Child when Giving This Year
Giving gifts can be one of the most gratifying aspects of the holidays. While you may have good intentions when selecting and giving gifts, however, the toys you choose for children may come with some latent risks that could cause accidents and injuries.
In fact, each year in the U.S., well over 183,000 children are injured in toy-related accidents. And these accidents result in an average of 10 fatal injuries annually.1
So, to make sure your gifts don’t cause harm to the child(ren) you love, here are some important gift giving safety tips from officials at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):
- Look for manufacturers’ age guidelines – And stick to them. If you can’t find guidelines on toy’s packaging regarding the appropriate age range for that toy, move on and look for something else. It’s better to error on the side of caution and know you are giving a gift that manufacturers intended for a specific age range.
- Be especially cautious with gifts for children younger than 5 – If you will be buying a gift of a child under 5 years old, avoid toys that include small parts, balloons and magnets (especially high-powered magnets). These items can be easily ingested by small children and can cause serious (if not life-threatening harm.
- Give safety gear with sporting equipment – If you will be giving children items like roller skates, skateboards, bicycles or other sporting equipment, be sure to also give the safety equipment that is appropriate for that gear. This may include a safety helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, training wheels, etc.
- Inspect toys before children play with them – Even if you have taken care to get an age-appropriate toy for children, toys can still come with defects or other issues. So, make sure to look over toys before letting children loose to play with them. This can help you avoid giving kids broken, damaged or otherwise potentially risky items.
- Assemble toys for children, according to manufacturer’s instructions – For toys that require assembly (including just adding batteries), make sure an adult does this for a child. Similarly, if a toy needs to be charged before use, have an adult oversee the charging of the toy to avoid electrocutions or other injuries.
Contact a Denver Personal Injury Attorney at Cederberg Law
If you or a loved one has been injured by a dangerous or harmful product, contact a Denver personal injury attorney at Cederberg Law to find out more about your best options for financial recovery.
To meet with us at no cost or obligation to you, call us at 303-499-0449 or email us using the form at the side of the screen.
In addition to offering free initial consults and contingency fee options, our lawyers make hospital visits to ensure that you have access to the legal support you need – whenever you need it.
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1: According to a recent report from the CPSC
