Government Looks at Other Strollers After Maclaren Recall

Nov. 10, 2009— -- The million-stroller recall by British manufacturer Maclaren following reports of finger amputation has prompted the Consumer Product Safety Commission to take another look at all "umbrella" strollers that use similar hinges.

Maclaren's recall, announced Monday, includes every umbrella stroller the company has sold over the past decade. The company says its strollers meet all federal safety standards and it's because of a commitment to safety that it took this step to get the word out.

"This is an industrywide problem. And we've taken the leadership on this because we designed this 40 years ago ... We had a number of cases of people having their fingers caught in the elbow hinge, and they brought it to our attention," Bahman Kia, Maclaren's CEO, told "Good Morning America."

On its Web site, Maclaren is offering free hinge covers and has posted a safety video on YouTube. But according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, additional steps may need to be taken outside the company's action.

Maclaren invented the umbrella stroller 40 years ago and other strollermakers use similar hinge mechanisms.

Maclaren said the safety of umbrella stroller hinges is an issue common to all folding strollers. And the Consumer Product Safety Commission acknowledged that there have been incident reports about other stroller brands, but with lesser injuries involved. The CPSC will look into whether further standards or recalls are needed for stroller hinges.

Maclaren's Safety Advice

In its safety video, Maclaren urges parents to make sure their children are not too close when folding their umbrella strollers. In a rather challenging demonstration, the video shows how the stroller controls are meant to be operated with the feet only.

"The stroller, like other devices designed to open and close, contains certain pinch points," the video says. "Never use your hands to engage these mechanisms."

The hinge mechanism is located on the side of the strollers, and of the 15 incidents reported, all occurred when parents were opening or closing the folding strollers. In 12 of those cases, children's fingertips were actually cut off by the force of the stroller hinge opening or closing.

The recall includes all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers, and the word "Maclaren" is printed on the stroller. The models involved include Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveler.

Parents should stop using their Maclaren strollers immediately until they can get a repair kit, the company said.

Maclaren Web Site: http://www.maclaren.us/recall/

Maclaren Recall Hotline: (877) 688-2326

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

To see photos of the recalled product, go to http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10033.html