Q: My son was riding on a pocket minibike we recently purchased for him, when suddenly, it snapped in half, throwing him onto the road. Fortunately, he was wearing a helmet and wasn't seriously injured. Whom should I call to report this?
— Barry Kaszycki
A: Consumers can help others avoid injuries by reporting unsafe products, which can lead to a recall, a consumer-education campaign or other action. For most types of consumer products, you should contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which has jurisdiction over more than 15,000 kinds of consumer products.
Because this particular product, the minibike, is a transportation device, it also may fall under the jurisdiction of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency oversees motor-vehicle safety and products certified for road use. In general, minibikes with a maximum speed over 20 mph would fall under NHTSA's domain, said agency spokesman Rae Tyson.
CPSC says it receives about 10,000 reports of product-related injuries and deaths each year, but it can only investigate a few of these. Each complaint becomes part of CPSC's database, however, allowing the agency to identify patterns and hazards associated with specific products.
If you identify the manufacturer in your complaint, the CPSC sends a copy of it to the manufacturer. If you give permission to include your name and contact information, you may receive a response from the company.
To file a complaint with CPSC on the Web: www.cpsc.gov/talk.html; by e-mail: hazard@cpsc.gov; or by phone: 800-638-2772, Ext. 650.
To file a complaint with NHTSA on the Web: www.safercar.gov; by phone: 888-DASH-2-DOT (888-327-4236).
If you're having trouble getting information or a refund from the retailer, file a complaint with the state Attorney General's Office and send a copy of that to the retailer. To file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office on the Web: www.atg.wa.gov/consumer/complain.shtml; by phone: 800-551-4636.
Jolayne Houtz, Seattle Times reporter
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