Keep Kids Safe -- Use Caution When Purchasing Used Items

By Becky Newell, State Coordinator (West FL) on 07/27/2011 @ 12:57 PM

Tags: West

An article published in Monday’s Lakeland Ledger urges us to be extremely careful when purchasing used items for children. Used cribs, car seats, and bicycle helmets can pose life-threatening dangers.

Strict new regulations for cribs went into effect on June 28 of this year, in response to a significant number of deaths and injuries to babies because of safety issues. But older, potentially unsafe cribs are still widely available in places such as yard sales and garage sales, and possibly on websites such as Craigslist and eBay.

Used car seats and helmets, while they often look “good as new,” can also be risky. Never use one of these items unless you’re absolutely sure it has never been involved in an accident. Once a car seat or helmet has been involved in a crash, it no longer has the same ability to absorb the force from another accident.

If you’re thinking of buying used items (including toys), you can check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website to see if the item has been recalled. But there’s still no substitute for knowing the history of the item before you buy it.