Pages

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

GRACO Stroller Recall: Common Sense

If you are currently a mother of a wee little baby, I'm sure you are up to date on recent product recalls.  Yes, it is frustrating when you purchase a product for your precious bundle of joy only to discover the item is flawed.  When the product is potentially dangerous and has resulted in deaths, you might even get a little angry.  However, this GRACO stroller recall seems a tad ridiculous.

The GRACO Quatro Tour and MetroLite strollers are causing uproars all over the country because of the 9 injuries (some of which were deaths) reported as a result of a "flaw" in these particular strollers.  Apparently, strangulation can occur when the infant is not properly harnessed and slips through the opening underneath the tray.  Now, I agree that this is a horrific image.  My heart goes out to the parents of the children affected by these unfortunate accidents.  

However, recalling 2 million strollers and causing parents all over the country to panic just seems to be a little much.  When I heard about the recall, I was upset.  I, too, am the proud owner of the Quatro Travel System.  I have loved my stroller since the moment I saw it in the store.  It's cute, practical yet luxurious, and incredibly convenient.  I went way over my "stroller budget" to purchase this model because I was so excited about it.  Seeing the news of the recall was devastating.  My imagination went crazy, I scared myself, and hurried to find out what was really going on.  Well, I've read the information, and I'm still in love with the stroller.  

I apologize if this upsets anyone, but isn't it common sense that you should properly harness your infant in any type of traveling seat?  You wouldn't go driving around with a 4 month old baby in a car seat without buckling her in.  Why would you put a tiny baby in a stroller without buckling the harness?  Blaming the stroller for the injury of an infant when the infant wasn't properly strapped is like blaming the car seat for the injury of a child when he or she wasn't buckled.  Duh.  Don't leave your baby unattended, for even a second, in a stroller without fastening the harness!  Also, an infant sliding out from underneath the tray seems odd as well because there is a foot flap that folds up and fastens the area closed.  If the baby is too small for his or her feet to dangle through the opening, close the flap.  Seems pretty simple.  

I think we need to find some of the common sense we've lost as a society and put it back in place.  I know there are products that genuinely need to be recalled, but perhaps we should stop blaming everything on the "other guy" once in a while and take a look at ourselves.  

Buckle your kid.  

I am still going to continue using this stroller, properly of course, and hope other moms don't freak out about the recall like I initially did.  If you are concerned about the recall and want to order the free "repair kit" (whatever that means),  click here.  

Our little Emma was just over a month old in this picture, but it's a pretty good view of the harness.  If it is fastened, the baby isn't going anywhere.


2 comments:

  1. I need to see if that involves my stroller. Only because we got the extra warranty and I wonder if I dont get the repair kit if it voids the warranty. I was looking on my receipt & it didn't give specific information on what type of the Graco stroller. I know it was one of the higher end travel systems from earlier this year. The name of the fabric is Deco! They were discontinuing it.

    And I totally agree with you on what you said about the restraint. That stuff drives me nuts when I say parents letting kids run around and climb on stuff they shouldnt. My 7 year old knows better to not even think about it. My 5 month old is ALWAYS buckled in his seat and/or stroller unless he is in mine or my hubby's arms.

    Seems to me some parents are just counting on all these spectacular conveniences being made to take care of their child for them. Kinda like those books out there to program your kid to sleep on a schedule.

    Sorry but if you are a stay at home mom doesn't your life revolve around the child and not vice versa?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yea, I think we're on the same page. Some parents today are ridiculously lazy and negligent. We all rely on the convenience of technology too much and want to blame everyone else for our problems. I'm that woman who says something to parents in public when they're not paying attention to their kids. :)

    And I'm pretty sure the repair kit is free no matter what. I don't think it affects the warranty. From what I could tell on the website, it was just a general request form.

    ReplyDelete