A look at some of the most dangerous toys for kids

A look at some of the most dangerous toys for kids

Every three minutes, a child is treated at a U.S. emergency room for a toy-related injury, according to a recent study published in Clinical Pediatrics. While some of these injuries can result from improperly using toys or not having the right safety equipment, in other cases, the faulty designs of toys, toxic materials or improper instructions can cause kids to get hurt by toys.

To help protect your children and reduce their risk of sustaining a toy-related injury, below are some rankings of the most dangerous toys for children, according to various researchers.

World’s Most Dangerous Toys

World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.) came out with this list of the most dangerous toys in 2015. Here’s what WATCH ranked as the top five most dangerous toys for children:

  1. “Bud” Skipit’s Wheely Cute Pull Along – This is a plush, stuffed toy puppy mounted on wheels that could come off with some prying. It was deemed a danger because the plastic wheels are a choking hazard.
  2. Foam Dart Gun – Let’s face it we now live in a politically correct world. The fact that this toy gun looks so real, despite the fact it only shoots foam darts, puts it near the top of W.A.T.C.H’s list.
  3. Quick Folding Trampoline – Indoors, this romping exercise toy has the potential to cause head, neck, and other potentially serious injuries.
  4. Poo-Dough – Complete with a Poo-Dough mold and cans of brown playdough, this kit contains wheat that can generate allergic reactions, causing everything from headaches and hives to shortness of breath and potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis.
  5. Smack Shot – A precursor to the wrist rocket, this sling shot-type toy comes with five devilishly shaped darts that can cause puncture wounds.

More Dangerous Toys for Tots: Unsafe Grades for Toys By Type of Toy

In terms of most dangerous toys by type, the following is a list compiled by researchers at HealthGrove, based on their analysis of data from the U.S. National Electronic Injury Surveillance System:

  1. Bikes & Tricycles – Average of nearly 416,000 injuries per year, mostly facial injuries, with approximately 74% impacting males and 26% impacting females.
  2. Skateboards – Average of nearly 68,000 injuries per year, mainly ankle injuries, with approximately 87% impacting males and 13% impacting females.
  3. Trampolines – Average of 64,500 injuries per year with, mainly ankle injuries, with approximately 52% impacting males and 48% impacting females.
  4. Fishing Equipment – Average of nearly 47,000 per year, mainly finger injuries, with approximately 81% impacting males and 20% impacting females.
  5. Rollerblades – Average of nearly 41,500 injuries per year, mainly wrist injuries, with approximately 35% impacting males and 65% impacting females.
  6. Scooters – Average of nearly 33,000 injuries per year, mainly facial injuries, with approximately 60% impacting males and 40% impacting females.
  7. Toys Guns – Average of nearly 20,600 injuries per year, mainly facial injuries, with approximately 79% impacting males and 21% impacting females. M
  8. Sleds – Average of nearly 19,200 injuries per year, mainly head injuries, with approximately 57% impacting males and 43% impacting females.
  9. Go Carts – Average of nearly 11,000 injuries per year, mainly head injuries, with approximately 71% impacting males and 29% impacting females.
  10. Snow Mobiles – Average of nearly 8,000 injuries per year, mainly lower extremity injuries, with more than 77% impacting males and 23% impacting females.

Toys Are Getting Safer, CPSC Data Shows

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the U.S. authority responsible for overseeing toy recalls. Fortunately, their toy-related recall and injury data seems to indicate an encouraging trend in toy safety, as there have been fewer toy recalls in recent years.

In fact, according to the latest CPSC data, there were only 25 toy recalls in 2015, which is a substantial drop from 172 toy recalls in the U.S. in 2008.

Contact a Boulder Personal Injury Lawyer at Cederberg Law

If your child has been injured by a dangerous toy – or if you have been harmed by any dangerous or defective consumer product, contact a Boulder personal injury lawyer at Cederberg Law to find out more about your best options for financial recovery.

Call us at 303-499-0449 or email us via the contact to meet with us at no cost or obligation to you. 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.