Over the last few months, we have been bombarded with news about Toyota recalls and their issues with sudden acceleration and faulty floor mats. However, when Pottery Barn issued their massive crib recall last month, it shed light on the growing concern over the dangers of drop-side cribs. Incredibly, over 10 million crib models have been recalled over the last 3 years.
That hasn’t stopped manufacturers from cranking out more models though. In an effort to maximize profits by cutting production costs, these companies have begun using increasingly less expensive and therefore lower quality materials to produce these cribs. The result? Parts that fail and leave a void which can entrap a small child. When this happens, there is a risk that the child can become stuck between the side and the mattress which can lead to personal injury or suffocation.
I hope the CPSC is successful in their attempts to ban drop-side cribs. Though they present a convenience to users by being able to get their children in and out more easily, it’s just not worth the danger that they present.