PD Editorial: Time to pull hoverboards from store shelves

When consumers buy a product, the purchase should come with a certain presumption of safety. But hoverboard owners beware. It’s clear by the abundance of incidents that have occurred nationwide that these two-wheeled motorized scooters come with a presumption of risk - risk of causing injury and starting fires.

That was driven home in gut-wrenching terms on Tuesday when a fire, believed to have been started by a hoverboard plugged into a wall, swept through a home in Santa Rosa’s Grace Tract neighborhood, killing two dogs and causing an estimated $250,000 in damage. The family living in the East Foothill Drive home has been forced to relocate because of the damage.

This marked the 40th time across some 19 states that hoverboards, a top-selling item this past holiday season, have triggered fires in the past year. The list includes an incident at a Ukiah home in December when a hoverboard started smoking while charging. Fortunately, damage was limited because the occupant wisely took the skateboard outside before it ignited in flames.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Elliot Kaye, the chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said commission investigators “continue to work diligently to find the root cause of the hoverboard fires that have occurred throughout the country.”

He said investigators are focusing on the lithium-ion battery packs and how they interact with the circuit boards inside the units. Such batteries are powerful, but they are used widely today in everything from laptop computers to cellphones.

Kaye said the commission staff also is looking at “the increasing number of serious injuries and emergency room visits associated with these products.” Dozens of injuries have been reported so far, including fractures, sprains, abrasions, and concussions. Investigators are looking at potential design flaws that may be creating more of a risk for injury than what should be apparent to those who step on the motorized scooters for the first time.

That’s all well and good. But it’s time to step it up.

Consumers shouldn’t have to wait for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to find the specific cause of the problem before they are sufficiently warned to steer clear of these machines. Forty fires is evidence enough. Hoverboards need to be pulled from store shelves - or at least stocked with clear warnings to consumers - until the safety issues are resolved.

Fortunately, one retailer is already taking the lead. Amazon.com, which had been marketing a variety of hoverboards ranging in price from $300 to more than $1,000, has yanked the scooters from its product list and is offering a full refund. We trust other retailers will follow.

Until then, owners of hoverboards are being warned, by agencies ranging from the Consumer Product Safety Commission to the Santa Rosa Fire Department, to take a series of precautions such as: 1) Never leave a hoverboard unattended, 2) Charge the hoverboard in a safe location away from combustible materials while charging, and 3) Have a working fire extinguisher nearby while charging or using the hoverboard.

Here’s a better suggestion that guarantees even greater safety: Take the dang thing back.