Toy Safety

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the group Kids in Danger has raised questions about the safety of children's toys. In "Critics: Panel too lax on kids items," Gary Wisby writes:

Recalls of defective and dangerous children's products are down, but that doesn't mean the products are safer, a report by Kids In Danger said Monday.

The group -- founded by University of Chicago professors Linda Ginzel and Boaz Keysar, whose toddler son died in a recalled portable crib -- and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission would order more recalls if it had stricter standards.

Since 1999, the commission's recalls of children's products have averaged half of total recalls, the KID report said. But last year, the 66 children's products recalled represented only 30 percent of the recalls.