Consumer Group: Summer Toy Safety Starts With Common Sense
BRIGHTON (CBS) - On the first day of summer, the group W.A.T.C.H. (World Against Toys Causing Harm) alerted parents about the potential risks of summer toys, basically telling them to pay attention and use common sense.
"One out of every two injury related deaths to children occur during the summer months and these injuries are preventable with a new mindset," said W.A.T.C.H. president Joan Siff.
In a news conference at the Franciscan Hospital For Children Tuesday, Siff also talked about the importance of kids wearing helmets if they're riding bikes or skateboards.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports
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WATCH director James Swartz said parents need to be careful of traditional toys.
He held out an inflatable "Spider Man Battle Splasher," which is also sold with a squirt gun. Swartz then showed reporters how the gun's trigger pops out and can instantly become a choking hazard to a child.
"It's something you might not be thinking about when you're buying a float for a pool," Swartz said.
W.A.T.C.H. projects that hospital emergency rooms will treat more than 2.5 million children injured in accidents over the summer.
