18 popular prams and strollers have failed CHOICE’s safety tests

Posted in Safety.
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CHOICE has put a whole bunch of prams on sale in Australia through their safety testing process and a whopping 18 models have safety issues, the consumer advocate says.

18 pram and stroller fails

Their latest inventory of unsafe prams and strollers gives a thumbs down to models released form 2015 through to 2018, with popular brands like iCandy, Baby Jogger and Mountain Buggy making the list.

The not-for-profit has been testing prams since back in 2015 and says their recent round of testing confirms “the dangers of Australia’s lax safety standards.” 

These findings come in the wake of the organisation’s recent reveal that pretty much every portacot sold in Australia poses a safety risk to children and babies.


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“People can get hurt”

In this latest blast, CHOICE hopes to make parents aware that buying a pram – or other baby products – in Australia doesn’t automatically mean that their choice has been properly vetted for safety.

“People can get hurt when a country doesn’t have the right product safety standards in place,” CHOICE says on their website. 

“Australia only has mandatory standards in place for a limited number of products, and they don’t always cover all the safety risks. Our latest prams and strollers test found that 18 models failed our safety tests.”

Babyology Best Prams of 2018

Ongoing testing

While some models are not the latest, it’s still important for parents to know they have safety problems, in case they buy an old model new or second hand.

The list below shows when CHOICE tested that particular model in brackets.

  • Baby Jogger City Mini GT – $799 (2017)
  • Baby Jogger City Select Lux (single) – $1299 (2018)
  • Baby Jogger City Tour – $479 (2018)
  • Babyzen Yoyo – $449 (2015)
  • Childcare Flip – $200 (2017)
  • GB Pockit AUS – $399 (2016)
  • iCandy Strawberry 2 – $1061 (2016)
  • InfaSecure Arlo – $629 (2015)
  • Joie Mirus – $250 (2015)
  • Mountain Buggy Cosmopolitan 2.0 – $869 (2017)
  • Mountain Buggy MB Mini 3.1 – $449 (2018)
  • Mountain Buggy Mini – $449 (2014)
  • Mountain Buggy Swift 3.0 – $599 (2016)
  • Phil & Teds Vibe V3 – $849 (2015)
  • Safety 1st Wanderer X – $519 (2016)
  • Silver Cross Wave SX2073 – $2199 (2018)
  • Stokke Xplory – $1444 (2016)
  • UPPAbaby Vista 0318-VIS-AU – $1899 (2018)

Time for new laws

CHOICE says we are long overdue for a shake-up and must tighten up safety standards once and for all.

“When it comes to prams and strollers,” CHOICE said, “the mandatory safety checks in the Australian market were written almost 20 years ago and were based on stroller designs that are far different from today’s. We think it’s time for an update, which is why standards that may be voluntary for manufacturers are mandatory in our CHOICE testing labs.”

They also stress that – prams aside – many other products that parents are using every day for their babies and children do not comply with any particular safety standards and pose a risk to little ones.

“As it stands, there are no mandatory safety standards for a list that includes the basics that most parents would own: bassinets, cot mattresses, high chairs, change tables, baby bottles and teats, safety gates and barriers, backyard play equipment, baby carriers and slings and playpens.”

Ugh. Buyer beware indeed.

So what should you look for when you’re buying a pram and want to be sure it’s safe? CHOICE has a handy-dandy guide on their website here.

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