Wheeled Riding Toys, Unpowered
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.
Toys & Children's Recreation · CPSC Code 1398
Down 21% over 5 years
The verdict
Wheeled Riding Toys, Unpowered carry a danger score of 32/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 1,965 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 21% over the last five years.
- 32/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 1,965
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 2.4%
- end in hospital admission
- 0-4
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 1398 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 32/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for wheeled riding toys, unpowered - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume1,965 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)2.4%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-21%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Wheeled Riding Toys, Unpowered (CPSC product code 1398, in the Toys & Children's Recreation category) generate an estimated 1,965 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 39,291 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 32/100 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 21% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2009 (3,006 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2013 (1,289 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for wheeled riding toys, unpowered is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 8,156 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the face (4,666 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 28,479 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 2.4% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 79 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how wheeled riding toys, unpowered 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 | 20,704 | 7,775 | |
| 5-14 | 5,708 | 2,870 | |
| 15-24 | 246 | 30 | |
| 25-34 | 256 | 348 | |
| 35-44 | 425 | 166 | |
| 45-54 | 254 | 80 | |
| 55-64 | 84 | 168 | |
| 65-74 | 15 | 159 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Mouth | Laceration | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Head | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Arm | Fracture | |
| Mouth | Dental Injury | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Foot | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Shoulder | Fracture | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Wrist | Fracture | |
| Lower Leg | Fracture | |
| Mouth | Contusions, Abr. |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
3YOM PRESENT SOT ED FOR HEAD TRAUMA. PT HAD UNWITNESSED FALL UNHELMETED FROM BALANCE BIKE. PT WAS NEAR A FOUR FOOT RETAINING WALL UNKNOWN LOC. OUTSIDE PLAYING WHEN YOUNGER SIBLING FELL, YOUNGER SIBLING WENT INSIDE WHEN PT FELL. DX: INJURY HEAD
3YOM WAS RIDING IN A *** RWHEN HE GOT HIS RIGHT MIDDLE FINGER CAUGHT IN THE TIRE RESULTING IN AN ABRASION. DX: ABRASION OF FINGER
2YOM WAS RIDING A TODDLER BALANCE BIKE AND FELL AND HIT HIS FACE ON A KITCHEN FLOOR CAUSING A LACERATION TO HIS UPPER LIP DX: LIP LACERATION
4YOM - PATIENT PRESENT FOR FOREIGN BODY. PT PLACED A WHEEL OF TOY CAR AND PIECE OF BREAD. DX: FOREIGN BODY IN NOSE.
11MOM WITH JUMPING OFF TODDLER BIKE, CAUGHT BY MOM DX: ELBOW INJURY
21 MOM FELL OUT OF A TOY VEHICLE HITTING HIS HEAD, DX: CLOSED HEAD INJURY
3YOM WAS ON A WHEELED RIDING TOY NON POWERED WHEN HE FELL OFF STRIKING HIS LEFT EAR DX: LACERATION TO LEFT EAR
2YOM FELL OFF OF A BALANCE BICYCLE AT DAYCARE AND FELL ONTO FACE DX: LACERATION FACE
2YOF WAS RIDING A PUSH BIKE WHEN PT HIT A BUMP ON CONCRETE AND TIPPED OVER, HITTING FACE TO GROUND. NOW HAS ABRASION TO FACE AND BIG GASH ON GUMS/UPPER LIP AND 1 LOOSE TOOTH. DX: LACERATION OF GINGIVA; MULTIPLE ABRASIONS
2YOF WAS ON A BALANCE BIKE AND FELL OFF STRIKING LIP DX: LIP LACERATION, DENTAL INJURY
2YOM PRESENTS WITH LIP LACERATION AFTER A FALL WHILE PLAYING ON HIS BALANCE BIKE. DX: LIP LACERATION
20MOM HAD A FALL IN THE KITCHEN ONTO FACE WAS RIDING A 4 WHEEL BALANCE BICYCLE IN THE KITCHEN AND FELL TO THE FLOOR DX: CHIN LACERATION
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
My child fell out of a cozy coupe car, catching her legs underneath causing her to hit her head and sustain a clvical and skull fracture.
While riding this toy my 2 year old will tip forward. Last incident resulted in him hitting his head (scraped nose and 2 black eyes). My husband and I feel this toy is very tippy in the front and feel it is not safe.
My children using the nerf battle racer model number T91869 manufactured April of 2009. While in use the 2 bolts for the seat sheared in half. Causing my children to fall off the vehicle.
My 5 year old neice was ridding on the horse on wheels, when suddenly the front leg of the horse snapped and sent her crashing down on the hard floor, and she hit her head. This has a tag on it that says its reccomded for children 3 and up. Also there is not a weight limit listed on the toy. According to the tag the toy has a (STEEL) frame. My neice weights around 60lbs at most.
My 15 month old child was riding on the toy in the following website. http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/brands/babytoys/products/67427 The head of the dog moves side to side as the toy moves forward, and there are several screw holes on the back of the head. My child stuck her finger into one of the holes, and the head moved to pinch her finger. And her finger got suck between the dog's head and the neck.
We purchase the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe in 2009 for our son's first Christmas. Our son was 9 months old at the time. The product was marketed towards children this age and older. There were multiple incidents of the car tipping over as our son, and later our daughter, tried to either maneuver the car or enter/exit. The car is very top heavy and tips easily, and it appears to be a flaw with the design. Earlier today, my daughter, who is currently 21 months old, was attempting to turn the Cozy Coupe around in our garage while sitting in it. The car tipped over again, this time slamming my daughter's face into our garage floor. She was bleeding from the mouth, and required stitches for a laceration on her chin. I understand that no toy is completely safe...however, the injuries incurred were from normal use of the car. She was simply sitting in it and trying to drive it. The car is too top heavy to allow safe use by young children and toddlers.
The horn on the front of the vehicle broke off, resulting in sharp edges on both the vehicle and the broken piece
Feed back on Radio Flyer Sccot & Zoom I own a private childcare and purchased 12 radio flyer scoot & Zoom ride on toys about 6 months ago. The model we have is all the 711 which you have now recalled. We use these toys for indoor active play on a smooth Composite Tile Floor. We have had no incidents or injuries related to this toy while using indoors on smoth service. I also have the same toy at my home for my grandson to ride on. I have had problems with tipovers while using this toy outside on rough concrete and indoors at bumps in floor like door way thresh holds. I have removed all of these from the school and my home and have requested the newer model from radio flyer. I agree the longer wheel base of the new model would make it better but also think a label for iuse on smooth surfaces only or be careful of use on non-smooth surface as toy may be prone to tip-over on any riding toy of this type.. Thanks, [REDACTED]
Showing 8 of 79 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to wheeled riding toys, unpowered on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are wheeled riding toys, unpowered?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, wheeled riding toys, unpowered have a danger score of 32/100 (low risk). An estimated 1,965 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from wheeled riding toys, unpowered?
The most common injury is internal injury to the head, accounting for approximately 8,156 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from wheeled riding toys, unpowered increasing or decreasing?
Down 21% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for wheeled riding toys, unpowered injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 28,479 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by wheeled riding toys, unpowered?
Of all ER visits involving wheeled riding toys, unpowered, approximately 2.4% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (97.6%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with wheeled riding toys, unpowered?
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 Toys & Children's Recreation
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 32/100 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 0-4 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.
