More than two million strollers have been recalled in the past few months due to a risk of amputation. That has many parents wondering if their stroller is safe.
Health Canada recalled all single and double strollers by MacLaren in November 2009, citing the risk of amputation or laceration of a child's fingers.
Consumer Reports demonstrated the risk in their testing laboratory.
"If a child was to put their finger into the area of the hinge right here as the stroller is being set up, they could potentially get their finger amputated," Don Mays of Consumer Reports said.
The Blink single umbrella stroller by Britax poses a similar amputation risk. And so does the canopy attachment on Graco strollers distributed by Elfe Juvenile Products, which was recalled in January of this year. All three manufacturers are providing fixes for the problem.
"It's simply a fabric cover that zippers over the hinge area that prevents a child from putting their finger in harm's way," demonstrated Mays.
Three other strollers pose a strangulation risk if a child is not properly strapped in. All three failed Consumer Reports' test of a voluntary safety standard.
"The danger here is if a child's torso slips under the bar but their head gets hung up. This head probe represents the dimension between the chin and the back of the head of an average 13-month-old. We test for it by placing it in the stroller. This ball should pass through underneath that bar under its own weight. It doesn't, so it fails to comply with the industry standard," he said.
As a result, Consumer Reports says don't buy: the Valco Baby, Tri-Mode All-Terrain stroller available only in the U.S. or the Tike Tech City X3 All-Terrain stroller, or the Tike Tech X3 Sport Jogging stroller which are also sold in Canada.
And no matter what type of stroller you get, always be sure your child is strapped in securely and is never left unattended.
Consumer Reports has contacted both Valco and Tike Tech about its test findings. Neither manufacturer says it has received any reports of injuries. However, Consumer Reports says if you own one of these three strollers, you should remove the grab bar to eliminate any potential risk.
If you're wondering if your stroller has been recalled, check both the Health Canada website and--if you cross border shop--the U.S. government recall page.
With a report from CTV
