BOB Jogging Stroller Settlement Will Provide Replacement Parts, Instructions To Avoid Front Wheel Detachments

The federal government and Britax have reached a consent agreement, which will result in consumers being provided additional hardware to make BOB jogging strollers safer to use, and other incentives.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the Britax BOB jogging stroller settlement on February 4, 2019. Customers with impacted strollers will be offered additional hardware and discounts to prevent the front wheels from detaching, which have resulted in at least 200 consumer complaints and dozens of injuries. In addition, after participation in an information campaign, additional incentives are available for consumers with concerns about how to safely and correctly operate the release on the certain strollers.

In February 2018, the CPSC filed an administrative lawsuit against Britax, the manufacturer, claiming nearly half a million B.O.B. jogging strollers may have dangerous design defects, which pose a risk of injury for children and adults if the wheels detach during use.

The CPSC stroller lawsuit came after a recall that impacted 17 models of Britax strollers, including the Ironman, Ironman Duallie, Revolution, Revolution CE, Revolution Flex, Revolution Flex Duallie, Revolution Pro, Revolution Pro Duallie, Revolution SE, Revolution SE Demo, Revolution SE Duallie, Revolution SE Duallie Plus, Revolution SE Plus, Sport Utility Stroller, Stroller Strides, Stroller Strides Duallie and SUS Duallie.

At the time the lawsuit was filed, the agency had received at least 200 consumer reports of the front wheels detaching while using the stroller, resulting in at least 97 injuries to children and adult consumers. At least 50 children and 47 adults have been injured.

The injuries included concussions, head and face injuries requiring stitches, dental injuries, contusions and abrasions among children. Adults have faced injuries including bone fractures, torn ligaments, torn labrum, contusions and abrasions, from falling over the breaking strollers.

When the front wheel of the stroller detaches, the front fork can dig into the ground and cause the stroller to stop abruptly and tip over, posing a risk of serious injuries to children in the stroller and adults operating the stroller, the CPSC warned.

Following the filing of the lawsuit, Britax responded to the agency’s claim by refusing to initiate a recall.

Britax Stroller Consent Agreement

The settlement comes about a year after the administrative complaint was filed, federal safety regulators and the manufacture have signed a consent agreement that involves certain single- and double-occupant BOB jogging strollers, imported from 1997 through September 2015, by Britax and B.O.B. Trailers, Inc.

The consent agreement indicates Britax will run an informational campaign including instructional videos and demonstrations on how to properly operate the quick release features of the front wheel.

Additionally, the agreement requires Britax to offer a free modified thru-bolt or free modified quick release that can be installed on strollers manufactured between January 1, 2009 and September 30, 2015. Customers with these strollers or any models manufactured before this time will also be offered a 20 percent discount towards the purchase of a new BOB Gear stroller.

According to the CPSC, the consent agreement does not constitute an admission of guilt by Britax, nor does it make a determination that the BOB strollers contain a defect or are a substantial product hazard.