Graco recalls 1.5 million baby strollers due to finger injuries – what you need to know to protect your children

Some 1.5 million Graco brand baby strollers are being recalled due to design defects that allow children’s fingers to be caught in the sunshade hinges. Five children have already suffered fingertip amputations and two others have suffered fingertip cuts due to the design, according to the voluntary product recall announced yesterday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

For parents and their children, this means that if you own a Graco stroller, you need to immediately check to determine if you are using one of the affected strollers. Owners are urged to stop using any affected stroller at once and to call special toll-free hotlines to find out how to get a free “cover kit” that can be installed over the injury-causing sunshade hinges.

The affected strollers are Graco Passages, Alano and Spree models, according to the company. Here is a list of the affected model numbers:

(Graphic courtesy of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

According to the recall, two different types of hinge mechanisms were used by Graco in these strollers. The recalled models use a “plastic, jointed hinge mechanism that has indented canopy positioning notches,” according to the recall. The affected strollers were  manufactured between October 2004 and February 2008. The model numbers and dates of manufacture can be found on a label on the lower inside portion of the rear frame, just above the rear wheels. More details and a video that shows the suspect hinge mechanisms can be found in a story in The Christian Science Monitor.

The affected strollers were sold at the following stores: AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies “R” Us, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijers, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Walmart and other retailers nationwide from October 2004 through December 2009.

The good news is that Graco and the government are recalling the defective strollers and helping parents to repair them so they won’t injure any more children.

The bad news is that these incidents didn’t have to occur in the first place had the product been designed and built with safety in mind from the beginning.

Baby strollers have been manufactured and used for more than two centuries, dating back to 1733 when garden architect William Kent created what is considered to be the first baby carriage for use by the third Duke of Devonshire in England. Originally, such strollers were designed for the amusement of children and were to be pulled by ponies or dogs. They have come very far in their development, with elaborate folding mechanisms, built-in cup holders, thick padding and insulation and wheels that turn in all directions for handling ease.

So you’d think that  by now, some 277 years later, stroller makers would have been able to come up with stroller designs that don’t cause injuries to the babies and toddlers who ride in them.

The injuries we’ve heard of so far are just the injuries that have been reported to the government and to Graco.

If your child is injured in one of the affected Graco stroller models, be sure to contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as well as getting medical attention for your child.

Product liability cases due to poor product designs that cause injuries to people are some of the most common legal actions filed in our nation. If you or someone in your family are a victim of poor product designs and are injured, then you should contact a lawyer to protect your legal rights.

Important phone numbers for parents checking on the recall:

Graco Web site: www.gracobaby.com