Hoverboards, the new trendy riding gadget that doesn’t
exactly “hover,” has been a huge hit this past Christmas as it was one of the
best selling gifts. Despite its popularity however, the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) revealed last month that it will be undergoing an
investigation of 22 reports of hoverboards that have caught fire in at least 17
different states.
The CPSC engineers in their National Product Testing and
Evaluation Center in Maryland have been testing new and damaged boards to try
to figure out why some boards catch fire during the charging stages when
compared to others that caught on fire while they were being rode on. It is
believed the battery that comes equipped with the board and its compatibility
with the charger is a main cause of these occurrences. These combustible
batteries have been the reason even many airlines have banned hoverboards from
carry-ons and checked-in baggage. Tampa International Airport even posted on
their twitter to not even bring them to the airport. “We’ve joined many
airports/airlines in banning them on campus,” they tweeted.
Not only are hoverboards dangerous because of the
possibility of catching fire but also because of the risk of falling and
causing serious injury. The CPSC has received 70 reports of emergency
room-treated injuries involving hoverboards. These injuries included
concussions, fractures, contusions/abrasions, and internal organ injuries. The
CPSC is concerned that there are no hoverboard safety standards. Sean Kane with
the Safety Institute said, “You have a product that doesn’t meet any safety
requirements. They are considered toys, but in fact they’re not.”
A man from Clearwater broke his leg in several places when
he fell from a hoverboard. Apparently, he tried to change directions and fell
backwards. Now he has more than $100,000 in medical bills. Another Florida
resident also had an accident with a hoverboard when he was trying out his
nephew’s board. He injured his arm and had to go to a hospital to receive
treatment for his injury.
Elliot F. Kaye, chairman of the CPSC, urges the danger of
these boards and how while fire hazards are unsafe, the risk of severe injury
from a fall from the board is more pertinent. Therefore it’s very important to
not underestimate these boards and use extreme caution if using them,
especially if you’re trying it out for the first time.
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