Business & Tech
ICYMI: Floridians Racking Up Hoverboard Injuries
A Clearwater man and a Congressman are among the latest fall casualties as concerns about fire hazards also linger.
CLEARWATER, FL — Reports of hoverboard-related mishaps just keep on coming from locations across the country, including Florida.
The self-balancing scooters have been linked with a number of accidents and spontaneous fires across the country, prompting retailers like Amazon.com to offer refunds on some models. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is also investigating 22 hoverboard-related fires, CNBC reported. Those fires appear to be related to the battery packs and charging process.
Fire concerns have prompted some airlines to transport the boards. On Dec. 18, Tampa International Airport tweeted that the boards are banned from its grounds entirely because of safety concerns.
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Some Floridians have experienced the potential dangers first hand. Clearwater’s Scott Read has racked up more than $100,000 in medical bills since he took a spill from one of the boards. He was attempting to change directions when he fell backwards, breaking his leg in several places, News-Press reported.
U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Miami, also took a tumble over Christmas weekend after trying out his nephew’s board.
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“Confirmed - #hoverboard is for kids,” Curbelo tweeted after the accident. He injured his arm and got to take a trip to a local hospital for his effort.
More than 70 reports of hoverboard-related injuries have been received by the CPSC.
In a statement issued Dec. 16, CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye said his agency is working to get to the bottom of the fire hazard issue. He, however, acknowledged other concerns related to the popular products.
“While the fire hazard has generated significant attention, I do not want to downplay the fall hazard,” Kaye said. “CPSC has received dozens of reports of injuries from hospital ERs that we have contracts with and they continue to feed us real-time data.”
One of Kaye’s top concerns is that there are no safety standards set for the boards.
To report hoverboard-related mishaps, visit www.SaferProducts.gov online.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website
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