Is it every kid’s dream to go flying through the air, light as a bird, only to land safely on a soft surface? Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean that all of those inflatable bounce houses, castles, slides and other amusements are necessarily safe for children, and a federal agency is pointing to a rise in injuries on such attractions to make sure parents are aware of the risks. [More]
safety
NHTSA Adds Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ To Ongoing Door Latch Investigation
By 3.4.15
After receiving notice of additional consumer complaints the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration added thousands of Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles to an ongoing investigation into door latches that may inadvertently open while the car is in motion. [More]
Mrs. T’s Recalls Pierogies That May Be Stuffed With Potatoes And Plastic Shards
By 3.2.15
Pierogies are one of the world’s most perfect foods. That’s why it’s sad news that a new flavor of Mrs. T’s frozen pierogies has been recalled because the pasta pillows may contain pieces of plastic. While no one has encountered one on their plate yet, the company is recalling affected products just in case. [More]
Hyundai Recalls 200,000 Vehicles For Steering Issues
By 3.2.15
Here’s the thing about driving a car: no one wants it to be more difficult or dangerous than it needs to be. That’s why Hyundai is recalling more than 200,000 with steering issues. [More]
Chrysler Adds 467,000 Vehicles To 2014 Recall Of Jeep, Durango SUVs With Fuel Pump Issues
By 2.27.15
Nearly five months after Fiat Chrysler issued a recall of 230,000 Dodge and Jeep SUVs for fuel pump issues that could lead to a vehicle stall, the company expanded the number of affected vehicles by more than 467,000. [More]
Legislation Aims To Make It Harder For Kids To Snack On Yummy-Looking Detergent Pods
By 2.26.15
Federal safety agencies and poison control centers have continuously expressed concern that the ever-popular, and convenient detergent pods are extremely dangerous to children, with more than 17,000 kids being poisoned by ingesting the detergent since they came on the scene three years ago. Today, the House and Senate took steps to ensure the single-serve detergent packs no long threaten childrens’ safety by introducing legislation that would enact stricter packaging standards for liquid detergent. [More]
NHTSA Increases Intensity Of Takata Airbag Investigation, Orders Company To Preserve Safety Devices
By 2.26.15
Federal regulators continue to put pressure on Takata Corporation to cooperate with a defective airbag investigation started last year. A week after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began fining the company $14,000 per day for failing to turn over documents and answer questions, the agency upgraded the investigation and ordered the company to preserve evidence. [More]
It’s Very Gross And Very Dangerous When Dogs Eat Diapers
By 2.25.15 — Updated: 5.2.17
The very thing that makes disposable diapers so useful–their super-absorbency–can make them deadly to pets. While nobody goes around giving diapers to their dog as a chew toy, animals do have a gift for rifling through the trash, and one thing they can find there are diapers. KKTV in Colorado interviewed one family whose dog died after eating some of the absorbent material in a diaper. [More]
GM Ignition Switch Death Toll Increases To 57 Nearly A Month After Claims Deadline
By 2.23.15
Nearly a month after the deadline to file death and injury compensation claims related to General Motors’ ignition recall, the number of fatalities tied to the long-ignored defect continues to increase.
Mercedes-Benz Recalls Nearly 150,000 Sedans Because Fires Aren’t Part Of The Driving Experience
By 2.23.15
There are a number of places you might expect to see a fire: camping, in the fireplace on a cold night. But one place you don’t want to experience a blaze is in your car’s engine. For that reason Mercedes-Benz is recalling nearly 150,000 sedans and station wagons. [More]
Takata To Be Fined $14K Per Day Until It Cooperates With Airbag Defect Investigation
By 2.20.15
Officials with Japanese auto parts manufacturer Takata Corp. have continuously said they would assist U.S. regulators in their investigation regarding millions of potentially defective airbags that can spew pieces of shrapnel at passengers upon deployment. But the company doesn’t appear to be keeping its word and now faces a $14,000 per day fine until it hands over documents and other data pertinent to the investigation into airbags that have been linked to at least five deaths. [More]
Mother Of Autistic Boy Claims IKEA Discriminated Against Her Son
By 2.13.15
IKEA has three prongs to its stores’ playroom policy — a height restriction, a potty-training requirement, and no adults. A Kansas mom says this last rule is discriminatory to her son and other children with autism who require the presence of an adult caregiver. [More]
Uber Adding “Panic Button” To Mobile App In Chicago
By 2.13.15
A few weeks after announcing that Uber would implement a panic button feature in its app for users in India after allegations of rape against a driver there, the company now says it’ll be launching the safety feature in Chicago soon as well. [More]
Kidde Recalls 5M Disposable Fire Extinguishers Because Fire Extinquishers Should Put Out Fires
By 2.12.15
The thing about fire extinguishers is that when there’s a fire, you have a reasonable expectation that the device can put out said fire. But that apparently isn’t the case for nearly 5 million Kidde plastic disposable fire extinguishers being recalled. [More]
1-Year-Old Suffocates During Home Remedy For Lice
By 2.5.15
Though its effectiveness is debatable, using mayonnaise to get rid of head lice is a well-known home remedy. But one family’s attempt to rid their child of the tiny insects has apparently resulted in a tragic death by suffocation. [More]
January Recall Roundup: Watch Out For Melted Monkeys
By 1.19.15
In the Recall Roundup for January, defective candles risk burning people and property, a coffeemaker sprays hot water somewhere other than the coffee grounds, and flammable and drawstring-laden children’s clothes made it to stores despite bans on both. Oh, and a toy monkey melts its own battery compartment. [More]
Quit Believing These Winter Driving Myths Already
By 1.9.15
If you’re in one of the places in the world that never has snow, ice, or typical winter weather, good for you. You can sit there and make smug noises while the rest of us learn useful information. There are a lot of common myths about driving in the winter that people accept as true, but probably shouldn’t. Here are a few of them. [More]
United Flight Attendants Refused To Fly Due To Safety Concerns, Were Fired
By 1.7.15
There was something unusual about a United Airlines 747 waiting at the San Francisco airport. Someone had drawn a picture in an oil slick on the back of the plane, and the flight attendants scheduled to work the next flight, to Hong Kong, found it threatening. They refused to fly, fearing an explosive or some other kind of attack. The flight was ultimately canceled, and the flight attendants were fired for insubordination. [More]
