If you have an older model, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission to see if there’s been a recall. Newer hoverboards don’t pose the same level of fire risk. To date, more than 300 of these incidents have been reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. News reports revealed potential hoverboard dangers - motorized boards spontaneously overheating, catching fire and causing burns. Shortly after their debut, several manufacturers started selling hoverboards that were not inspected for quality or safety. However, many parents began to wonder - just how dangerous are hoverboards? Also known as self-balancing or two-wheeled boards, these toys can be a fun way to get around. When hoverboards hit the scene in 2015, they were an immediate success. Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s HospitalĬase Western Reserve University School of Medicine Do not use a hoverboard on or near a road.Gear up before riding, which means putting on a skateboard helmet, elbow and knee pads and wrist guards.Charge in an open area away from combustible materials.Have a working fire extinguisher nearby while charging or using these boards.In addition to providing consumers with updates on its investigation, the CPSC also urged owners of boards to use them with caution: “In fact, any such mark is at best misleading and may even be a sign of a counterfeit product.” “At this time, the presence of a UL mark on hoverboards or their packaging should not be an indication to consumers of the product’s safety,” Kaye said. This declaration comes just days after UL issued a notification that Swagway marketed and sold hoverboards with the UL mark, without first being evaluated to “any standard of safety.” He also reiterated that while Underwriters Laboratories, an independent safety consulting and certification company, may have certified parts of hoverboards, such as battery packs and power supplies, there currently is no UL certification for hoverboards as a whole.
“I want to commend Amazon for voluntarily stepping up, providing a free remedy and putting customer safety first,” Kaye said. While Kaye says the agency hasn’t made any determinations about hoverboards just yet, he did provide several safety updates and resources available to device owners.įirst, he encouraged hoverboard owners to take advantage of Amazon’s offer to return and refund consumers who purchased boards from the e-retailer. E-Rover-Mini Smart Balance Scooter/LeCam Technology.Swagway Hands-Free Smart Board/Swagway LLC.Hover-way Hands-Free Electric/Digital Gadgets LLC.
Smart Balance Wheel Scooter/Glide Boards.Smart Balance Wheel/One Stop Electronic Inc.“CPSC staff is focusing on the components of the lithium-ion battery packs as well as their interaction with the circuit boards inside the units.”Ĭompanies currently involved in the investigation are: “Our investigators and engineers continue to work diligently to find the root cause of the hoverboard fires that have occurred throughout the country,” Kaye said in the update.
This week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced just which brands of self-balancing scooters they are investigating, while also offering a few safety tips for consumers who might already have one of the devices at home.ĬSPC chairman Elliot Kaye provided an update on the agency’s investigation into the safety of hoverboards, noting that 13 companies are currently being scrutinized.Įngineers with the agency are testing hoverboards – both new models and those involved in fire incidents – at its National Product Testing and Evaluation Center. 1.21.16 10:08 AM EDT By Ashlee Kieler To The Bottom Of It fakeout UL Underwriters Laboratories safety hoverboards swagway safety certification consumer product safety commission investigation amazon refundsįor nearly two months now, federal regulators have been working to get to the bottom of exploding hoverboards.