According to the organization, dangerous toys that have the potential to cause serious injury and even death continue to be distributed because of the following issues:

• Inconsistent warnings and age recommendations. Omissions and inconsistencies regarding important safety information can lead to misinformed, and potentially dangerous, consumer toy purchases. One item on the World Against Toys Causing Harm's list of dangerous toys for 2016 is sold without warnings regarding potential suffocation hazards for babies. Other toys are either sold with different age recommendations depending on the package bought or fail to warn of potential hazards altogether. Whether buying toys online or at a retail store, parents should thoroughly inspect a toy and its packaging prior to putting it into the hands of a child.

• Unsafe toy designs and manufacturing practices. While recalls are an important safety measure, they are only a bandage for a larger issue: Dangerous toys shouldn't reach the hands of consumers in the first place. Recalls are reactive, not proactive. Many of the toys recalled in the last year are evidence of substandard manufacturing practices and inadequate premarket testing. Moreover, some toys that are in compliance with current industry or regulatory standards have proven to be hazardous, demonstrating the inadequacy of existing standards.

• Lack of awareness of unsafe toys on the market. Consumers expect toys to be safe once they are for sale. It is important for consumers to inspect new toys — as well as existing toys in homes and schools — for dangerous hazards, and check for recalls. Consumers should look out for classic toy dangers that still make it on shelves today, including small parts, strings, projectiles, toxic substances and rigid materials. And always make sure to check warnings.

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