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Hoverboard Safety Alert
By Floyd Arthur
All across the United States, hoverboards were the go-to holiday gift this year. The self-
propelled, self-balancing scooters literally flew off the store shelves at big box retailers
like Walmart and Target, and were one of the biggest sellers on Amazon.com. Then, less
than two weeks before Christmas, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued
a statement warning consumers that many of the hoverboards being sold in the U.S.
were unsafe.
Hoverboard Safety
The issues with the scooters were not minor. In addition to hundreds of reports from
emergency rooms across the nation of serious injuries due to falls, the CPSC received
dozens of complaints from consumers that the devices were exploding and catching
fire.
The problem stems from the devices’ lithium-ion batteries, which have a well-
documented tendency to explode. In 2005 and 2006, millions of Sony-made lithium-ion
batteries in laptop computers were recalled when several hundred of them caught fire.
Last year, the electric car manufacturer Tesla was forced to do a remote software
upgrade on thousands of its model S luxury cars when several of the cars’ batteries
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caught fire. And in 2014, Boeing briefly grounded its entire fleet of 787 Dreamliners
after batteries on two of the planes blew up.
Amazon Temporarily Halts Hoverboard Sales
In the wake of the CSPC statement, on Dec. 14, 2015, Amazon.com made the
unprecedented decision to halt all sales of hoverbooards on its site and offered
customers a full refund on any hoverboard purchase they had made. The online retailer
even went so far as to urge customers to throw away the boards rather than return them
to the company.
Several days later, Amazon.com resumed sales of the Indiana-based Swagway scooters
after the manufacturer submitted safety data and documentation from its legal team.
However, it continues to warn customers that all other hoverboard brands, including the
popular scooter made by RioRand, are unsafe.
All major U.S. airlines and many international carriers have since banned hoverboards
on all aircraft both in the passenger cabin and cargo hold.
CPSC Hoverboard Guidelines
On Dec. 16, 2015, CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye issued a statement to the public
regarding the hazards of hoverboards and outlined precautions regarding their purchase
and sale. These included:
Buy only from reputable retailers. Avoid buying a hoverboard at a mall kiosk, or online
from an unknown or unreliable source. “If you do not think you could find the seller
again... that should be a warning to you not to do business with them,” said Kaye.
Do not charge a hoverboard overnight or in a location where it is close to anything that
can catch fire.
Do not charge a hoverboard immediately after riding it. Allow it to cool for at least 60
minutes before charging.
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Check the hoverboard for the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) label. If it isn’t there,
return the product to the seller. **
Do not ride the hoverboard in the street or on a busy sidewalk.
Wear a helmet and safety gear, including wrist, knee and elbow pads when riding the
scooter.
Mr. Kaye also urged the U.S. to adopt safety standards for hoverboard use.
**According to U.S. Customs Enforcement and Protection, thousands of products with
counterfeit UL labels are smuggled into the U.S. each year, so the presence of a label is
not a safety guarantee.
While it’s natural to be curious about new technologies, safety should always be our
major concern. And helping you keep your family safe and protected is what we do best.
Our trained agents are expert in all types of insurance for your home and your business,
so let us help you design a comprehensive program that meets your needs. Call us at
516-292-3780 any weekday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Or, if you prefer, request a free
consultation online now.
