Finger Amputation Risk Forces Kolcraft to Recall Strollers
All recalls are sad because of the danger that a defective product poses to consumers, but perhaps no recall is as disheartening as one that compromises the safety of a child.
The Chicago, Illinois-based Kolcraft Enterprises has announced the recall of a line of strollers known as Contour Options. These strollers will have three or four wheels. They have a design defect which creates a serious safety risk. When a user adjusts the strollers’ handlebars, a hinge mechanism opens and closes, but when it’s doing so, a small gap is created. Children or even adults can stick their fingers in this small gap, so when the hinge is pressed again, fingers could be cut or completely severed. Three children have lost fingers due to this defect, and two adults experienced cuts.
Five different models are affected, totaling an astounding 36,000 units. Each of the items was imported from China. They come in numerous colors and were sold online at Amazon, as well as at Target.com and toysrus.com. Consumers were also able to purchase the items at children’s product stores. They retailed for around $150 from January 2006 all the way up to June 2012.
Any parent or guardian who thinks they have the product should not place their children in the stroller until they can obtain a repair kit from Kolcraft.