Used Cribs Take Blame in Majority of...

Used Cribs Take Blame in Majority of Deaths: Crib accidents claim the lives of about 50 infants a year, a government safety agency said, alerting consumers to the hazards of putting children to rest or play in used cribs. A report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission says more babies die in cribs than in high chairs, walkers, carriers, playpens or strollers. But most of the deaths involved cribs that were previously owned or used. Mandatory crib standards took effect in the mid-1970s, when the yearly death total was about 150. But since cribs last between 10 and 25 years, consumers may still be reusing them, the commission said. The agency-imposed standards call for cribs with properly installed hardware, no more than 2 3/8 inches between the slats, firm and snug-fitting mattresses.