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Unfortunately, today I’ve got to announce another Disney products recall here on the Disney blog. This time the item in question is being recalled not just by one but by two governments, the United States and Canada. The Consumer Products Safety Division and Health Canada are recalling the Disney Princess Plastic Racing Trikes.
These bright pink child-sized tricycles were produced by Kiddieland Toys Limited and sold at Target, JC Penny, Meijer, and H.E.B. stores. They could also be obtained on target.com
After receiving reports of children suffering facial lacerations from the trikes, the safety institutions determined that the toys posed a significant danger of hurting children should they fall on the space between the handlebars.
As you can see in the picture, from between the handlebars protrudes three plastic Disney princess figures and one large plastic castle with pointed spires. The CPSC and Kiddieland received three reports of children injuring themselves on the tricycles, which prompted the recall.
So far the recall is voluntary; consumers do not have to return the trikes if they don’t want. But consumers are urged to take the trikes from their children and cease use of the tricycles if they own one. While consumers are not required to return the trikes, selling or attempting to sell one is now illegal.
A solution to the problem has already been created. If consumers want to allow their children to keep using their trikes, they can do so. First they must take the trikes away from the children, then contact Kiddieland. The company will provide a replacement handlebar on which a center display is enclosed, keeping any edges safely away from children.
It must not look good for Disney to face another product recall so soon after the last one. Kiddieland might not be owned by Disney as far as I can tell (perhaps it’s buried so far under the corporate umbrella that I can’t find the connections, who knows), but the product still bears clear Disney branding. If Disney’s going to contract out production of its toys, then it ought to hold that production to high standards.
This recall seems worse than the previous one. The problem with the watches was really only relevant to people with a nickel allergy; while it’s still something that should have been caught before the products were sold, I hadn’t even heard of nickel allergies before then. But anyone can hurt themselves on the Princess Trikes.
What I really want to know is who designed these things and thought that it was a good idea? Kids can have accidents bike riding, even on tricycles, so who thought to put a giant sharp plastic piece right where the head might fall? And why is a giant rotating castle even necessary on a tricycle in the first place?
To contact Kiddieland for the replacement part, call (800) 430-530. To view the CSPC’s full press release, which includes a picture of how the fixed tricycle will look, go here.
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*(This image is by CPSC.gov and is in the public domain and licensed for free use.)
