3 common pushchair safety risks every parent needs to know about
We test around 60 pushchairs every year combining safety and durability data so we can tell you which are worth shortlisting and spending your money on.
As well as the good, our lab testing also uncovers the bad. Safety failures discovered through our testing are more common than you might think - everything from finger entrapment hazards, risk of choking and even a wheel or two falling off.
Currently on our website, we have 52 Best Buy pushchairs and even more Don't Buys which goes some way in demonstrating how regularly we come across pushchairs that should be avoided. There's also not always a correlation between price and quality either - we've tested Don't Buys that cost well over £1,000. This makes our independent lab safety tests even more invaluable.
Keep scrolling to find out more about the safety issues we've come across during our rigorous testing or head straight to our round-up of the best pushchairs.
For ways to keep your family living costs down, and kids of all ages happy, get our Family newsletter - it's free monthly
Don't Buy pushchairs
Poor-performing and unsafe pushchairs that receive a score of 45% or lower are Don't Buys and should be steered clear of. Points are lost if it breaks during testing or if our experts uncover any serious durability issues.
To find out which pushchairs we recommend avoiding see all of our Don't Buy pushchairs.
1. Durability issues
During testing we wheel each pushchair over 200km on a bumpy treadmill loaded with the weight of a baby in the seat and a full shopping basket to see how durable it is. This is to mimic rolling over uneven pavements and potholes to indicate whether it would stand the test of time, or if there are any weaknesses in the chassis or the connection points that we need to know about.
Wheels snapping off
By the time the below pushchair completed the test, one of the front wheels had completely snapped off. This same pushchair experienced other safety failures, moving it into Don't Buy territory.
Handlebars detaching
The handlebar of your pushchair needs to withstand going up and down kerbs, being pushed over rough ground and maneuvering around obstacles. We use special equipment to test the strength of the handlebar by repeatedly pushing it up and down 10,000 times, replicating several years of use. The image below shows the left side of the handlebar having completely detached following the durability test.
Find out more about how we test pushchairs
2. Choking hazards
Our safety tests also involve checking that the material on the bumper bar can’t come away and pose a choking hazard. We use a special machine designed to replicate a child’s bite. While the below bumper bar has a fabric cover, it can be easily unzipped, and so a child could still access the foam part of it.
Small parts falling off
We also test if anything on the pushchair might come detached when it’s subjected to a certain amount of force. If a part does come loose, we then check whether it could pose a choking hazard by putting it in a specially designed small-parts cylinder to mimic a child's airway. The plastic toggle on the rain cover from the below pushchair detached and subsequently fitted within the small parts cylinder.
Best pushchair brands - see the brands our experts and pushchair owners rate
3. Harness restraint issues
The harness is essential for keeping your child safely in the pushchair seat, especially if you accidentally hit a pothole or jolt the pushchair going over rough ground.
We dangle a test-dummy baby from the pushchair's harness to make sure it's strong and secure enough to keep your baby safe. The image below shows the stitching coming loose on the harness.
Keep your baby safe using our pushchair safety tips and discover the best pushchairs that sailed through our tough tests