The American Association for Justice (AAJ) recently released a report entitled, “Playing with Safety: Dangerous Toys and the Role of America’s Civil Justice System.” The report highlights hidden dangers in some of today’s popular toys. Parents might be surprised by the potential injuries and hazards posed by toys despite improved safety standards.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), since 1974 it has issued more than 850 recalls for toy products. Many such recalls were due to hazards like magnets, lead, toxins and other dangers hidden in children’s toys. Between 2004 and 2008, there was a 12 percent increase in reports of toy-related injuries. Alarmingly, over the last 10 years, toy-related injuries have increased by 54 percent.
All consumers need to be aware of the hazards that toys can pose to children, even when the toy is used properly. There may be inherent dangers that are present in the toy, or defects that are unknown even to the manufacturer. Now that the holiday season is over, parents should pay great attention to the potential hazards posed by their children’s new toys.