(WWJ) -- As Michiganders are finishing up their holiday gift shopping over the next week, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is sharing advice for the public to keep children safe.
She released the annual Dangerous Toys Guide on Wednesday, offering consumers tips to make informed decisions when buying toys for children.
"Every three minutes, a child is treated in a U.S. emergency room for a toy-related injury and because of this risk, it's important that we share a few tips on how to make informed decisions when purchasing toys this holiday season," Nessel said in a statement. "Our 2019 Dangerous Toys Guide is another resource for Michigan consumers to not only protect their wallets, but most importantly to protect their children from harm."
The guide provides general toy shopping tips to remain age-appropriate and safe -- both physically and digitally – and also includes notable recalls for popular toys and the steps to take if you already own the product.
The guide refers to the annual "10 Worst Toys" list, released World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H.). Toys on that list include projectile toys – like the "Nerf Ultra One" – and ride-on toys like the "Pogo Trick Board." Nessel's guide says projectile toys can fire with enough force to injure an eye and playing on ride-on toys can result in fatal head injuries.
Shoppers should "inspect toys for obvious hazards. For example, if a toy has small parts, it can likely be a choking hazard for a child," the guide says. The Consumer Product Safety Commission defines "small parts" as anything less than 1.25 inches wide, which is the size of an average three-year-old's throat – slightly wider than a quarter or two fingers.
A list of potentially dangerous things consumers should look for in toys includes:
- Strings
- Projectiles
- Toxic Substances
- Rigid or sharp materials
- Inaccurate warnings and labels
As Christmas nears and Michiganders are gearing up for last-minute shopping, consumers are encouraged to refer to the guide.
