Last year the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced 428 recalls, including lawnmowers, Rachael Ray teakettles, and flammable women's robes. The majority were children's products—cribs, strollers, and car seats.
Consumer Reports says that it's really important to fill out product registration cards for all products. You don't have to fill out personal or financial information. Just give them your contact information.
In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act now forbids companies that make infant and toddler products from using the information "for any purpose … other than … a product recall or safety alert."
Some companies such as Costco are taking extra steps like maintaining purchase records so that they can contact customers directly about recalls.
If you want to check for recall information on all sorts of products, including children's products and cars, go to www.recalls.gov. It's a "one-stop shop" for government recalls. The site also has a free cell-phone application.
Consumer Reports has developed a School Safety Alert Program to get recall information directly to families with school-age children. You can sign up for safety alerts at www.ClickCheckandProtect.org.
There's also a new government database due out soon with safety information for consumers at www.saferproducts.gov. It allows anyone to see complaints filed about safety problems with specific products.
