"Almost a Disaster While Viewing Cherry Blossoms"... What Are the 1,206 Safety Accidents Occurred Over 5 Years?

A Total of 1,206 Accidents in the Last 5 Years
18.6% Increase Last Year Compared to the Previous Year

The Korea Consumer Agency and the National Institute of Technology and Standards have issued a 'Safety Alert' regarding strollers, which frequently cause safety accidents during the spring season when outdoor outings begin in earnest.

According to the Consumer Agency on the 4th, a total of 1,206 stroller accident cases were reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS) from 2019 to last year. In particular, last year, 287 cases were reported, an increase of about 18.6% compared to the previous year.

Analysis of safety accident status by the Consumer Agency showed that falls, such as children falling while riding in strollers, accounted for the highest proportion at 66.2% (798 cases). This was followed by cases where a stationary stroller slipped or tipped over with the child, and crush or pinch injuries where the body of the guardian or child was caught between stroller gaps causing skin lacerations, each accounting for 3.4% (41 cases).

By injury location, cases with injuries to the 'head and face' accounted for more than half at 69.7% (841 cases). Next were 'hands and arms' at 4.2% (51 cases), 'buttocks and legs' at 1.2% (14 cases), and 'neck and shoulders' at 0.5% (6 cases). Also, regarding injury symptoms, due to the nature of many accidents involving falls or body pinching, skin or subcutaneous tissue damage was the most common at 35.9% (433 cases).

The Korea Consumer Agency and the National Institute of Technology and Standards plan to produce and distribute promotional posters containing stroller safety accident prevention measures and urge users to exercise caution. A representative from the Consumer Agency stated, "When assembling a stroller, check the surroundings to ensure that the bodies of the guardian and child are not caught, and before placing an infant or toddler in the stroller, confirm that the stroller frame is fully secured."