Consumer Report: Kid’s travel system
From Chicago News
October 10, 2013 (CHICAGO) (WLS) — An important Consumer Reports safety alert is out today. A stroller travel system marketed by Heidi Klum, star of Project Runway and America’s Got Talent, has a safety issue.
Travel systems include a stroller and a detachable infant car seat. Consumer Reports tested the Truly Scrumptious Travel System by Heidi Klum as a part of its regular stroller testing and found a problem with the stroller harness that could put children at risk of falling out and being injured.
“My new collection at Babies ‘R’ Us is truly scrumptious.”
Heidi Klum’s ads tout her line of baby equipment that is carried exclusively at Babies “R” Us. But Consumer Reports found a safety risk with the 220-dollar Truly Scrumptious travel system during testing of the harness.
“We applied the amount of tension the harness should be able to withstand, based on the voluntary industry safety standard. The right side of the harness buckle popped open ten out of 15 times in our tests,” said John Galeotafiore of Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports tested three different samples of Klum’s travel systems and found the same problem with each. In a second test that simulates a stroller hitting a curb, a 50-pound weight stands in for the heaviest child the stroller is rated to carry. The strollers’ buckles released seven out of fifteen times in Consumer Reports’ tests.
It’s the only stroller with this problem in more than 100 strollers in Consumer Reports’ ratings.
“Although we know of no injuries caused by this stroller, the danger is that a child can fall out of the stroller and get hurt if the harness fails,” said Galeotafiore.
Consumer Reports has designated the Truly Scrumptious travel system model TR252BQR by Heidi Klum a Don’t Buy Safety Risk.
“The car seat included in this travel system has its own harness that passed Consumer Reports’ safety tests. So if you have it, you can continue to use the car seat either in the stroller or in your car,” Galeotafiore.
But Consumer Reports urges parents not to use the stroller on its own and to consider asking Babies “R” Us for a refund.
If you are looking for a travel system Consumer Reports recommends the Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30. It costs 330 dollars.
Consumer Reports has notified the maker of the Truly Scrumptious travel system by Heidi Klum, the Dorel Juvenile Group, which says it disagrees with Consumer Reports’ conclusions based on its own internal and outside tests. The company says it has had no complaints about the buckle releasing.
All Consumer Reports Material Copyright 2008. Consumers Union of U.S. Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Consumer Reports is a not for profit organization which accepts no advertising. It has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor on this site. For more information visit consumerreports.org.
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http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/chicago_news&id=9281793
Related story
Will a pet harness actually keep your dog (and you) safe in a car crash?
From The Consumerist
In a new study looking at the durability and reliability of automobile pet harnesses, 36% of the 11 restraint systems tested failed initial strength tests, and of the seven harnesses that then went on to be subjected to an actual crash, only one showed that it would reliably keep both the dog and the vehicle’s passengers safe. [via Consumer Reports]
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