By Christine Frietchen on January 20, 2010 in
On the heels of more than one million Maclaren strollers recalled earlier this year, Graco has recalled 1.5 million strollers for the same reason: a hinge that can pinch childrens' fingers, resulting in fingertip cuts, and possibly amputation. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, canopy hinges on the Graco Passage, Spree and Alano strollers and travel systems are the problem; affected strollers were manufactured between October 2004 and February 2008. The CPSC website has pictures of the hinge. Parents are instructed to stop using the strollers and contact Graco for a repair kit.
In contrast to the Maclaren recall, which involved recently-manufactured strollers, the Graco recall involves only those strollers made as recently as February 2008. However, those strollers continued to be sold in stores through December 2009.
According to the CPSC, the agency has been looking at all similar stroller hinges in light of the earlier Maclaren recall. This Graco recall is a result. According to an interview with CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson in The Canadian Press, "CPSC is taking a larger look at the entire product line to determine what steps need to be taken to keep children safe in and around strollers."