Six Surprisingly Dangerous Tech Products

July 13, 2015by Aaron Allison

Some tech products that you wouldn’t think of as harmful are capable of causingbusinesswoman sending a text while driving injury, whether due to a defect or to being inherently dangerous. The following dangerous products have been deemed potentially unsafe in certain situations:

1. Laser Pointers

Improperly used laser pointers can have serious consequences, including eye injuries, causing vision problems for drivers and burned skin. The power limit for laser pointers is 5mW, of which, a person can turn away from the laser before suffering injury.

2. High-Powered Magnets

From 2009 to 2013, the Consumer Products Safety Commission received nearly 3,000 reports of children swallowing magnets. Such incidents can be fatal when the magnets are swallowed in pairs.

A toy called the “Magnicube,” which contains thousands of high-strength magnetic balls, was recalled after several incidents where kids swallowed magnets. In many of these cases, the victim needed surgery because the magnets were attracting each other inside the child’s digestive system.

3. Nintendo Wii

Injuries suffered from playing virtual sports games on the Nintendo Wii are so common that physicians have coined a term for the condition: Wiiitis. According to a 2014 survey, Wii Sports caused 34 out of the 39 injuries that gamers self-reported, with tennis being the most injurious of the virtual sports. Wiiitis symptoms include: muscular pain or swelling in the arms, neck pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.

4. Lawnmowers

Lawnmowers caused more than 80,000 of the injuries that needed emergency room treatment in 2012. They are the most common cause of electronics-related injury.

5. Fitbit Force

Last year, around a million units of the Fitbit Force wristband were recalled after nearly 10,000 users reported irritation from wearing it. Buyers received full refunds and later versions of the Fitbit have been reaction-free.

6. Cellphones

People driving distracted due to cell phone use are four times as likely to crash, according to the National Safety Council. Around 27 percent of accidents were due to texting and driving or drivers talking on their cell phone behind the wheel.

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