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Toy-Related Child Injury Statistics
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were an estimated 254,200 toy-related injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2015 – 73 percent of these injuries occurred in children under the age of 15.
Forty-one percent of the estimated emergency department-treated injuries are classified as lacerations, contusions, or abrasions. In addition, 45 percent of the estimated injuries were to the head and face area – the most commonly affected area of the body.
Defective or unsafe toys that can pose an injury risk or hazard to a child are oftentimes recalled by the manufacturer. In 2015, there were 17 toy recalls involving approximately 370,000 toys recorded by the CPSC. These massive recalls highlight the importance of checking toy recalls and testing the safety of toys before giving them to your child.
What Are the Most Dangerous Toys
- Marketed on the internet without warnings, instructions, or age recommendations.
- Battery operated toys for children under 8 years old since batteries may leak, overheat, and explode.
- Contain ‘fur’ or ‘hair’ that could be ingested and pose a choking hazard for young children.
- Small removable parts or attachments at the end of laces and strings, such as bells, knobs, or beads.
- Projectile toys that can cause injuries to the eyes.
- Blunt, pointy, or sharp edges that could break a child’s skin.
- Realistic-looking toy weapons such as guns, swords, and knives that could be mistaken for the real thing.
- Strings longer than 6 inches which could strangulate small children.
- Require electricity to function and do not have step-down transformers to prevent electrocution risk.
- Toxic or flammable surfaces which can potentially cause injuries if consumed or ignited.
10 Common Injuries Caused by Unsafe Toys
Here are 10 common injuries your child could sustain due to a dangerous, defective, or unsafe toy:
- Blindness
- Broken bones
- Burn injuries
- Choking or strangulation
- Cuts and bruises
- Death
- Disfigurement or scarring
- Head injuries
- Hearing damage
- Permanent disabilities
