Britax Jogging Strollers Injure Parents, Babies: Report

Christina Spicer | April 8, 2019

Category: Baby Products

A major news source recently revealed that Britax, a baby gear giant, failed to recall its jogging stroller even after faced with reports that nearly 100 parents and children had been harmed by a defect.

According to an April 2, 2018 report by The Washington Post, the government agency tasked with consumer product safety received hundreds of complaints about sudden wheel failure on Britax jogging strollers, specifically, the BOB model.

The Britax BOB jogging stroller is a high-end cart running between $200 and $400. Britax markets it to active parents, runners, touting its ability to take on all types of terrain.

The complaints alleged that the front wheel of the stroller was prone to falling off while in use. Between 2012 and 2018, the agency received 200 complaints detailing the horrific injuries that occurred for parents and children when the stroller failed, including broken bones, teeth, and lacerations.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission determined in 2017 that the Britax jogging strollers should be recalled from the market.

“The danger that was there was just so obvious,” the former Democratic commissioner of the CPSC told The Post. “It was appalling.”

Initially, the agency requested Britax voluntarily recall 500,000 of the BOB strollers; however, the company refused.

The CPSC then lodged a lawsuit against Britax to force them to remove the allegedly dangerous, albeit popular, jogging strollers from the market.

According to The Washington Post, the legal effort stalled as political forces changed in 2018.

Britax offered a settlement that did not include a recall or even a warning to consumers. In fact, the bulk of the settlement was a nine minute YouTube video detailing how to install the front wheel properly.

Parents were also offered a 20 percent discount on a new stroller if they purchased their Britax jogging stroller prior to October 2015.

As a result of the government agency’s acceptance of the settlement, say reporters, Britax may never be forced to remove strollers from the market that have severely injured hundreds.

According to The Washington Post, parents and children are still exposed to dangerously defective Britax jogging strollers.

The problem with the Britax jogging strollers, according to reports, is that the front wheel is attached by a lever, much like the quick release on a bicycle.

In fact, a number of bicycle companies have recalled products over problems with quick release levers, according to The Post.

Britax has also been accused of failing to report all incidents with its BOB jogging stroller to regulators.

The Washington Post reports that Britax avoided recalling the dangerous jogging strollers by waiting for political winds to change.

Indeed, as the Trump administration began taking over posts at the CPSC, the replacement members voted to accept the Britax settlement that failed to recall 500,000 dangerous strollers already sold.

“At Britax, we take safety very seriously and design products to provide parents with peace of mind,” Britax said in a statement to Fast Company who also reported on the strollers.

Britax continued, “our decision to not agree to a recall was based on the fact that this product is not defective, and that it is safe when used as instructed. We take our legal and regulatory obligations seriously and respect the CPSC and its mission, but we could not agree to recall a product that was not defective. We have never been afraid to do the right thing and have taken action, when necessary…”

Still, Britax jogging stroller owners aware of the recall effort say that they have lost trust in the company and that they fear using the product with their own children.