Maclaren pushchair safety alert Q&A
- Your questions about Maclaren pushchair safety answered.
- How the US Maclaren buggy recall affects UK Maclaren pushchair owners.
- Essential safety advice for keeping you child safe when using a pushchair.
What has happened in the US?
Maclaren has recalled a million pushchairs in the US after reports that 12 children have had their fingers amputated by Maclaren's pushchair folding mechanism.
The affected Maclaren pushchairs are also available in the UK and use the same folding mechanism.
How have children been injured by Maclaren pushchairs?
The models affected use an 'umbrella' folding mechanism. This involves the parent pushing up a catch at the back of the buggy to collapse it. On collapse, the pushchair remains the same length but its width reduces - like folding an umbrella.
The amputations happened when Maclaren pushchairs were being folded or opened by an adult - they did not occur when the child was sitting in the pushchair.
Which Maclaren pushchairs have been recalled in the US?
The Maclaren pushchair models recalled in the US are:
- Volo
- Triumph
- Quest Sport
- Quest Mod
- Techno XT
- TechnoXLR
- Twin Triumph
- Twin Techno
- Easy Traveller
These Maclaren pushchair models will be fitted with an extra safety device designed to stop the pushchair folding mechanism trapping a child's fingers.
American consumers will receive a free kit consisting of a zipped fabric cover for the hinge to help prevent injury.
Does the pushchair recall affect owners of Maclaren pushchairs in the UK?
Following calls from Which?, Maclaren has agreed to offer UK owners of affected Maclaren buggies the same safety kit as US consumers are going to receive.
If you own one of the affected pushchairs you can get free hinge covers to help make your pushchair safer by contacting Maclaren at advice@maclaren.co.uk or on 01327 841 300.
The Maclaren Volo pushchair is affected by the US product recall
Why was there no recall in the UK?
As Maclaren's pushchairs conform to EU safety regulations and there has been only one reported injury involving a Maclaren pushchair in the UK, Maclaren is not legally obliged to issue a product recall.
A 'product recall' in the US is not the same as in the UK. A US product recall alerts people to a potential safety risk but it does not mean that products should be returned to their manufacturer.
Initially Maclaren did not take any action to provide UK consumers will the same hinge covers that they were issuing to US consumers. But following calls from Which?, it has now changed its mind.
To get a free hinge cover for your affected pushchair contact Maclaren at advice@maclaren.co.uk or call it on 01327 841 300.
Maclaren says that it has also placed additional warning labels on all affected buggies and instruction manuals, stressing that carers should keep children clear of the buggy while it is being unfolded or folded.
Have any UK children been injured in the same way?
Maclaren told Which? a lower number of incidents have been reported in Europe than in the US, but is yet to confirm the actual number of finger-trapping incidents.
Only one case has been reported to Northamptonshire Trading Standards Department, Maclaren's local trading standards authority.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) says that in 2002 - the last year for which figures are available - 80 children aged five and under visited hospital due to getting fingers caught in pushchair mechanisms. These figures refer to all pushchair related injuries, not just those involving Maclaren models.
More recent figures are not available as the government axed the collection of accident data in 2002. However, government-funded consumer advice organisation Consumer Direct told Which? it had received 3,322 complaints about 'buggies, prams and pushchairs' in the first nine months of 2009, of which 342 were logged under the complaint code for 'safety'.
We want to hear from you if you or a member of your family has been injured by a pushchair folding mechanism. Email us with your experiences at helpwanted@which.co.uk, putting Maclaren pushchairs in the subject line of your email.
Should I stop using my folding pushchair?
No, but extra care should be taken when collapsing pushchairs with an umbrella folding mechanism.
Maclaren recommends that pushchair owners should keep children clear of the buggy while it is being unfolded or folded.
If you own one of the affected pushchairs then you can get a free hinge cover to improve the safety of your buggy by contacting Maclaren at advice@maclaren.co.uk or calling them on 01327 841 300.
Maclaren has made a video showing how to fold and unfold your Maclaren pushchair safely. If you own a Maclaren pushchair and are concerned about the safety of your child then it's certainly worth watching.
The Maclaren Quest Mod pushchair
How well do Maclaren pushchairs perform in Which? tests?
Maclaren is known for its lightweight and portable buggies. Which? has tested a range of Maclaren pushchairs and found they conform to relevant European safety standards (EN1888).
Some of the Maclaren models affected by the US recall are Which? Best Buys. They remain Which? Best Buys while we investigate how widespread this issue is and establish whether there is any danger to British children.
Parents should always ensure their child is well away from any hinges or folding parts when folding or unfolding a pushchair .
How widespread is the problem?
The chance of children trapping their fingers in pushchair folding hinges apply to all pushchairs that use an umbrella folding mechanism, and not just those from Maclaren.
Parents should consider the folding hinge on a pushchair in the same way they would the hinge of an opening and closing door. Inevitably a product that folds in this way will carry some risk to children.
Which? tests pushchairs extensively at an independent laboratory. To find out which pushchairs performed well enough to be considered a Which? Best Buy read our pushchair reviews.
Our pushchair reviews also show which pushchairs from a range of popular manufacturers use an umbrella-folding mechanism.
How popular are Maclaren pushchairs?
Maclaren is an iconic British brand (no connection with McLaren F1 cars), known the world over for its lightweight and portable buggies. It aims to provide ‘what a baby wants, what a mother needs’.
It began in 1965 when Owen Maclaren, a retired aeronautical engineer and grandfather, patented his prototype baby buggy – the B-01.
He wanted a buggy that was durable, safe and lightweight, and designed one that combined modern materials such as tubular aluminium, a structure that comfortably carried a fairly large child and a 3-D folding mechanism that would make it as compact as a (1960s) umbrella when folded.
Today's Maclaren buggies are still recognisably descendants of the B-01 and have the same key features – a lightweight frame, one-handed umbrella fold and attractive fabrics.
What will Which? be doing now?
Which? will be conducting tests on the Maclaren hinge covers to find out if they really do improve the safety of their pushchairs.
We're also calling for all manufacturers of umbrella folding pushchairs to place permanent warning labels next to the affected hinges to ensure parents are aware of potential dangers.