Over the past 15 months many people in Indiana chose to exercise at home rather than go to the gym. One popular item people purchased in an effort to stay physically active were Peloton treadmills. However, some of these treadmills proved to be deadly and were eventually recalled.
Children seriously injured by the Peloton Tread+
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that the Peloton Tread+ has been recalled by Peloton. Peloton received over 70 reports of adults, children, pets and/or objects being caught at the end of the treadmill and pulled under. This includes 29 reports of children receiving second- and third-degree abrasions, fractured bones and cuts after being pulled under the machine. One child died in an accident involving the defective treadmill.
The recall that almost did not happen
Despite these reports of injuries, Peloton initially refused to stop selling the Tread+. The company was also protected by section 6B of the Consumer Product Safety Act. Under this section, the CPSC cannot release information on a product it wants to recall unless it contacts the manufacturer of the product. If the manufacturer objects, they can take the agency to court.
To address this problem, two U.S. senators have introduced a bill known as the Sunshine in Product Safety Act. If passed, this bill will repeal section 6B of the Consumer Product Safety Act, ultimately preventing situations in which the government and manufacturer know a product is defective but cannot warn consumers of the danger. Peloton has since reversed their stance on the dangers posed by the Tread+ and has agreed to a recall.
Learn more about product recalls
The Sunshine in Product Safety Act is still working its way through the legislative system and is not yet law. This means section 6B of the Consumer Product Safety Act still stands and therefore some dangerous products will remain in the hands of consumers. Those in Indiana who were injured by a defective product may want to explore our firm’s website for further information about their legal rights and options.
