Book Bags Or Back Carriers (exc. Baby Carr. Luggage, Cam
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Swimming, Water & Beach Equipment · CPSC Code 5011
Down 12% over 5 years
The verdict
Book Bags Or Back Carriers (exc. Baby Carr. Luggage, Cam carry a danger score of 36/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 10,586 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 12% over the last five years.
- 36/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 10,586
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 2.5%
- end in hospital admission
- 5-14
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 5011 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 36/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume10,586 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)2.5%
- Fatality rate0.03%
- 5-year trend-12%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Book Bags Or Back Carriers (exc. Baby Carr. Luggage, Cam (CPSC product code 5011, in the Swimming, Water & Beach Equipment category) generate an estimated 10,586 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 211,723 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 36/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 12% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2017 (15,032 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2005 (6,283 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam is other to the upper trunk, accounting for approximately 14,870 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by other to the lower trunk (13,979 cases). The 5-14 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 72,733 cases over the NEISS window, and females appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 2.5% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.03%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 24 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 3,787 | 2,802 | |
| 5-14 | 35,614 | 37,037 | |
| 15-24 | 18,482 | 27,595 | |
| 25-34 | 11,115 | 12,231 | |
| 35-44 | 11,244 | 9,199 | |
| 45-54 | 10,168 | 9,653 | |
| 55-64 | 8,042 | 6,096 | |
| 65-74 | 3,470 | 2,862 | |
| 75+ | 1,099 | 1,128 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Upper Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Shoulder | Other | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Neck | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Neck | Other | |
| Shoulder | Dislocation | |
| Wrist | Strain, Sprain | |
| Finger | Laceration |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
13 YOF WITH SHOULDER PAIN AFTER CARRYING HEAVY BACK PACK DX: STRAIN
56 YOM UNINTENTIONALLY FELL 25 FT OFF OF AN OVERPASS WHILE REACHING FOR HIS BACKPACK. DX: INTRAMURAL HEMATOMA OF ABDOMINAL AORTA, DISPLACED DOME FRACTURE LEFT ACETABULUM, CRITICAL POLYTRAUMA.
71 YOF WAS GETTING ON THE BUS THIS MORNING WHEN SHE SLIPPED ON ICE AND FELL BACKWARD ONTO HER BACKPACK. DX: CERVICAL STRAIN, LUMBAR STRAIN.
20YOM HAD A BACKPACK FALL ONTO HIS RIGHT GREAT TOE NOW HAS SEVERE PAIN DX: INJURY OF RIGHT GREAT TOE
12 YOF C/O SHARP AND STABBING CHEST PAIN ON AND OFF FOR THE LAST 2 WEEKS. REPORTS SHE DOES CARRY A HEAVY BACKPACK AT SCHOOL. DX NONSPECIFIC CHEST PAIN, URI
9YOF CHILD WAS AT SCHOOL AND SHE WAS HIT IN THE FACE WITH A BACKPACK, LACERATION UNDER HER RIGHT EYEBROW DX: LACERATION OF SKIN OF RIGHT EYEBROW, CONTUSION OF FACE
26YOM WAS WALKING ALOT WITH BACKPACK ON HIS BACK AND NOW PAIN IN UPPER BACK DX:P[AIN UPPER BACK
74YOF, HER LEGALLY BLIND SON WITH SWINGING BACKPACK TO PUT IT ON AND ACCIDENTALLY STRUCK HER HAND, DX: PAIN OF LEFT HAND
67YOM PRESENTS WITH RIB INJURY AFTER FALLING ON A BELL IN HIS BACKPACK DAYS PRIOR WHILE AT A SKI RESORT. DX: RIB INJURY
10YOF, SLIPPED DOWN ONE STEP WHILE CARRYING HER BACKPACK THIS MORNING AND FELL ONTO ARM, DX: ABRASION OF RIGHT FOREARM
11YOM FRIEND WAS WALKING NEXT TO HIM WITH A BACKPACK WHEN HIS FRIEND SWUNG THE BACKPACK OVER SHOULDER AND ACCIDENTALLY HIT HIM IN THE HEAD DX: CLOSED HEAD INJURY, LACERATION SCALP
65YOM WAS TRYING TO TAKE A BACKPACK OFF WHEN HE FELT A POP IN HIS NECK DX: STRAINED NECK
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
A backpack from pottery barn (lavender butterfly) with wheels that also functions as a rolling backpack has a strap on the front that comes across the neck. The strap chocked her when the back pack was grabbed from behind. No injuries; however, potentially very dangerous. If requested I will send photos of the back pack.
We were given the Vineyard Vines Blue whale backpack as a baby gift from Target. It has a magnetic latch to close the lid of the backpack. The way the magnet is manufactured, the magnet can easily pull off, as I found it in my 10 month olds mouth.we use this product to hold swim attire and snacks for the pool. My child did not get injured but if I had not see it happen he could have eaten the magnet and I would not have known until it was possibly too late.
I am Assistant Attorney General. Recently, our Office conducted an investigation into the presence of lead and cadmium in childrens school supplies. Our investigation uncovered numerous childrens school supplies offered for sale and purchased by consumers contained levels of lead in excess of that permitted by the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Lead (mg/kg) (ppm): 537 Percent of Lead Above Threshold (100ppm): 5.4
I am Assistant Attorney General. Recently, our Office conducted an investigation into the presence of lead and cadmium in childrens school supplies. Our investigation uncovered numerous childrens school supplies offered for sale and purchased by consumers contained levels of lead in excess of that permitted by the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Lead (mg/kg) (ppm): 553 Percent of Lead Above Threshold (100ppm): 5.5
I am Assistant Attorney General. Recently, our Office conducted an investigation into the presence of lead and cadmium in childrens school supplies. Our investigation uncovered numerous childrens school supplies offered for sale and purchased by consumers contained levels of lead in excess of that permitted by the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Lead (mg/kg) (ppm): 394 Percent of Lead Above Threshold (100ppm): 3.9
I am Assistant Attorney General. Recently, our Office conducted an investigation into the presence of lead and cadmium in childrens school supplies. Our investigation uncovered numerous childrens school supplies offered for sale and purchased by consumers contained levels of lead in excess of that permitted by the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Lead (mg/kg) (ppm): 885 Percent of Lead Above Threshold (100ppm): 8.9
Recently, our Office conducted an investigation into the presence of lead and cadmium in children's school supplies. Our investigation uncovered numerous children's school supplies offered for sale and purchased by consumers contained levels of lead in excess of that permitted by the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Enclosed is a spreadsheet containing information on products found to be in violation, including the concentrations of lead found in accessible components. Please issue a recall for each of these products. Lead (mg/kg) (ppm): 842 Percent of Lead Above Threshold (100ppm): 8.4
I am Assistant Attorney General. Recently, our Office conducted an investigation into the presence of lead and cadmium in childrens school supplies. Our investigation uncovered numerous childrens school supplies offered for sale and purchased by consumers contained levels of lead in excess of that permitted by the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Lead (mg/kg) (ppm): 2780 Percent of Lead Above Threshold (100ppm): 27.8
Showing 8 of 24 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam have a danger score of 36/100 (low risk). An estimated 10,586 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam?
The most common injury is other to the upper trunk, accounting for approximately 14,870 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam increasing or decreasing?
Down 12% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam injuries?
The 5-14 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 72,733 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam?
Of all ER visits involving book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam, approximately 2.5% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (97.5%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with book bags or back carriers (exc. baby carr. luggage, cam?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Swimming, Water & Beach Equipment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 36/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 5-14 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
