In a major announcement Wednesday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said that more than 500,000 of the popular battery-operated scooters, referred to as hoverboards, were being recalled because of a potential fire hazard.
These hoverboards, which resemble a skateboard and don’t actually hover or fly, have been getting an increasing amount of scrutiny from governments all over the world in recent years. The CPSC has been looking into their safety for well over a year now, and officials in many cities have banned them from sidewalks. In addition, their tendency to explode or catch fire has led them to be banned from airplanes.
So far, there have been at least 60 reports of fires and explosions related to these devices, including several house fires. The incidents cover at least 20 states and the total value of the property damage caused by the fires is more than $2 million so far. The current CPSC announcement affects hoverboards made by 10 different companies, including the following items:
• Digital Gadgets LLC of Monroe, New Jersey’s Hover-Way, Model #HWS88601-R
• Hoverboards LLC of Scottsdale, Arizona’s Powerboard
• Hype Wireless of Edison, New Jersey’s Hype Roam
• Hong Kong-based Keenford Ltd’s iMoto
• PTX Performance Products USA of Irvine, CA’s Airwalk Self-Balancing Electric Scooter
• Razor USA LLC’s Hovertrax
• Swagway LLC’s Swagway X1
• Several models from Yuka Clothing of Miami, Florida, including Wheeli 2 Wheelz, Back to the Future, Mobie Tech, Hover Shark, NWS, X Glider and X Rider
While CPSC officials wouldn’t say what percentage of the total hoverboard market was being recalled, they did say it was significant and that it affected all of the major players in the market.
CPSC believes that the fire risk for this particular recall is due to the devices’ battery technology and their electrical system, but they also announced that they plan to focus more on the risk of accidents and falls from the devices and their instability. Currently, there are no official government standards for hoverboards, although Underwriters Laboratories, a private, independent standards-setting and testing organization, has developed some electrical standards for self-balancing scooters, based on the CPSC investigation. These standards are voluntary, however, at least for now.
Though hoverboards are basically a new technology, that doesn’t mean manufacturers of these devices have no responsibility to make them as safe as possible. All manufacturers of consumer products have an obligation to market a safe possible or to advise consumers of possible hazards.
If you have one of these hoverboards, contact the manufacturer or the store where it was purchased for the recall details. Different companies have different recall policies in place. If you or a loved one has been injured or suffered significant property damage from using This or any other defective product, please contact the Product Defect Attorney atThe Hill Law Firm and let us help you. We have experience dealing with some of the largest manufacturers in the country and we can get you the compensation you need.