Playing It Safe: Warmer Weather Brings Outdoor Risks

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, injuries on outdoor toys have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic. NBC's Liz McLaughlin reports.

(NBC News) — Many of us are welcoming warmer weather and eager to get outside, but it’s important to stay safe when we do.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, injuries on outdoor toys have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic.

“When it comes to skateboards, scooters, and hoverboards, the number of injuries treated in emergency rooms is up 39 percent,” says the CPSC’s Josephy Martyak.

Electric scooters and bikes are growing in popularity, and some of the motorized vehicles can reach speeds of 20 miles per hour, making safety gear even more important.

With any of these outdoor toys, you’ll want a helmet that fits properly and has a sticker inside that showing it complies with CPSC standards.

“Stay out of the street when that possible, because this is where we see the biggest, serious injuries,” Martyak adds.

Injuries from ingesting batteries are also on the rise, especially small button batteries.

“When it comes to Children aged 5 to 9 years old, the increase is 93 percent, almost a 100 percent increase from the year before,” Martyak notes.

Still, the biggest category increase overall during the pandemic period is injuries from fireworks and flares.

Safety experts suggest leaving fireworks to the professionals. Even sparklers, which may seem innocuous, can still be dangerous. They burn at the same temperature as a blowtorch.

Read more here.