Warning Do Not Use Tricycles To Transport Children

The ACCC is warning carers to avoid using convertible tricycles to transport children as they do not typically include important safety features required for strollers.

These products do not have the safety features required by the mandatory safety standard for prams and strollers, including parking brakes, tether straps and harnesses.

Convertible tricycles are three wheel tricycles that usually have advertised for children under 24 months and with some features normally found in strollers. When under parent control, they may have the pedals and child steering disabled, and some models may have seats that can recline or face the parent.

The ACCC has been conducting a market review of these tricycles and is particularly concerned that some suppliers have used images or words that give the impression that these tricycles are suitable for transporting children rather than them being toys that need to be used under supervision.

Use of convertible tricycles for transporting children when they do not have one or more of the safety features required by the mandatory standard may cause children to be put in dangerous situations if the device rolls away from the carer’s control and if children are not properly restrained in a device they are also at risk of either falling out or moving to a position where the device can topple.

Any device used to transport a young child needs to be safe and reliable for use in a wide variety of environments where people might walk, including at home, in shopping centres and on footpaths and roadways.

Under the Australian, Consumer Law consumers can get a refund if a product is unsafe and was purchased after 1 January 2011. Consumers who have purchased a convertible tricycle in the belief that it could be safely used as a stroller should contact the place of purchase to seek a remedy.

Consumers are urged to check whether their product is part of a product safety recall on the Product Safety Australia.

Reference:
"ACCC Warns Carers To Avoid Using Convertible Tricycles To Transport Children" Product Safety Australia, 24 August 2018