On February 16, 2018, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) filed an administrative action against Britax seeking to force a recall of BOB jogging strollers based upon an alleged design defect in the quick release, which attaches the front wheel to the fork. Specifically, the Complaint alleged that the strollers are defective because (1) “the quick release can fail to secure the front wheel to the fork, allowing the front wheel to detach suddenly during use;” and (2) the design “allows a consumer to operate the stroller without the front wheel being secured correctly.” Britax declined to recall BOB jogging strollers because there is no defect and the products are safe when used as instructed. The quick release is a widely-used feature with a history stretching back decades – first in bicycles and then in strollers. Detailed instructions and videos on securing the quick release and locking the front wheel are available on the BOB gear website and in the user guide. In November 2018, Britax settled this matter with the CPSC without a recall or corrective action plan. Instead, Britax launched an information campaign on January 10, 2019 for a period of twelve (12) months on Britax’s social media and homepage. The information campaign features an educational video to further instruct consumers on how to safely and correctly operate the front quick release. To promote the effectiveness of the campaign, certain free parts and discounts are available to eligible consumers.
IADC member Anna Early, Senior Associate Counsel and Head of Legal for the Americas at Britax, was involved in helping settle the action without a recall. Anna, who joined the IADC in 2018, also recently received the "Outstanding Corporate Counsel" award from the Charlotte Business Journal.