A Christmas List Item May Be Hard to Find, Hoverboards Being Pulled From Some Websites

I almost caved in and bought one for my son, now I'm glad I didn't! Hoverboards are one of this Christmas hottest gift requests. But it's a different type of "hot" that has gotten hoverboards into some trouble. And if you are still planning on purchasing one, you may have to look a little harder to find one.

Consumers may think that the biggest problem with these self-balancing scooters would be not falling off, however companies like Amazon and Overstock.com have pulled most brands of hoverboards off their site or even pulled the product completely from their sites, because of possible fire risks.

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According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there have been reports in 10 different states of hoverboards bursting into flames because of the quality of the lithium-ion batteries used to power the boards. It has been found that the cheaper the components in the boards, the chances of them bursting into flames increases. However, as the investigation continues, there is no proof that if a consumer purchases a more expensive hoverboard, the chances of fire will decrease.

Because a hoverboard is considered a form of transportation, the Toy Industry Association does not consider them an actual "toy". This means that the quality of the board can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and there are few to no regulations on them.

Federal regulators and the CPSC are continuing their investigations on the boards, but until all results are in, some safety tips have been issued.  Probably the most important safety tip is to not charge a hoverboard overnight - because of the lithium-ion batteries. The CPSC also recommends wearing the appropriate safety gear when riding a hoverboard (helmet, knee pads, elbow pads) and to report any incidents that may occur (including falls or fires) to saferproducts.gov.

Source: Today News