Now that Christmas is just over a week away, many people will be scrambling to make sure they have everyone covered for gifts, including any children in the family. However, before heading online or out to the local big box retailer, these holiday shoppers may want to take a look a recently released list outlining some of the most dangerous toys on the market.
Compiled for over 30 years by the safety advocacy group World Against Toys Causing Harm — or W.A.T.C.H. — this highly influential list names everything from a pencil outfitted with a miniature slingshot to a chemistry set designed for shooting bottle rockets.
It should be noted, however, that the researchers at W.A.T.C.H. indicated that while the named toys were indeed ones to avoid this holiday season, they were also representative of the continuing problem of toy danger.
Specifically, they argue that many toys still present the unacceptable risk of serious injury or death due to choking hazards, strangulation, dangerous projectiles and inadequate instructions.
While some people might dismiss these concerns as overblown, consider that in 2014 alone there have been at least 17 recalls of dangerous toys amounting to over 4.8 million units in the U.S. and Canada.
While the possibility of an innocent child being seriously injured or worse by a seemingly harmless toy is difficult to think about, the unfortunate reality is that it does happen with more frequency than you would likely care to think.
Should the unimaginable happen, it’s important to know that The Terry Law Firm is here to hold negligent manufacturers accountable for their dangerous products. We believe that these manufacturers should be held to the highest possible safety standards and will fight to secure justice when a child suffers.
