An estimated 12,900 children under the age of five were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with strollers, according to CPSC Nursery Product Reports. Most stroller injuries were caused by either falls or strangulation. On average, one child dies each year from stroller-related injuries according to data from 2007-2016. Many of these deaths occur when babies are left to sleep with the stroller’s back rest in the reclined position. They may slip feet-first through a leg opening until their head is trapped and they are strangled — at least 5 deaths are associated with this hazard. Be aware that infants only a few weeks old can creep or move when asleep. The youngest victim of a stroller was an infant just 7 weeks old.
From 2007 to 2016, there have been 33 stroller recalls totaling nearly 6 million units and involving 5 deaths.
A recall or a corrective action has been issued for strollers for various reasons including:
- Folding mechanisms on locks that could break during use, causing the stroller to suddenly collapse
- Entrapment or strangulation risk
- Amputation or laceration risk
- Restraint buckles that could unlatch
- Seat belts that may not restrain properly
- Breaks that may not hold when locked
- Risk of injury from falling if seat detaches and falls to the ground
