One and a half million Graco strollers sold at Wal-Mart, Target and other large retailers have been recalled after they guillotined the fingers of five children and cut two others. The Graco disaster comes in the wake of another stroller situation—just three months ago Maclaren carriages were recalled for causing 12 similar fingertip amputations.
Unlike with Maclaren the news is unlikely to have a large effect on Park Slope since Graco strollers are down market from their fashionable UK cousins. Still, the injuries caused by the baby carriages were similar in nature: both trapped little fingers in a hinge mechanism, then chopped them off. The safety commission is examining other strollers with similar designs and has vowed to keep babies safe in the future, reported AP. "CPSC is taking a larger look at the entire product line to determine what steps need to be taken to keep children safe in and around strollers,'' said spokesman Scott Wolfson.
Manufactured in China, Graco strollers are sold at AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijer, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Wal-Mart and elsewhere. This isn't the first time the company has been outed for its hazardous designs—in the early nineties it was fined $100,000 for failing to report the same defect in strollers, which are most likely to scissor children's fingers when they are opening or shutting the canopy. Graco customers should stop using their strollers and contact the company to receive a free repair kit. For more information about the recalls call 800-345-4109 or visit http://www.cpsc.gov.
