As the holiday shopping begins, there are some toys you might want to think twice about buying.
The Texas Public Interest Research Group (TexPIRG) Tuesday released its annual Trouble in Toyland report.
The group says that despite significant improvements in toy safety over the last few years, there are still problems.
This year's report concentrates on three areas:
1. Small parts that can be swallowed and cause a child t0choke
2. Toys that are too loud and could damage a child's hearing
3. Toys that contain lead or are covered in lead paint
Congressman Lloyd Doggett was at the news conference and encouraged parents to carefully examine toys before letting handing them over to their children.
“ We made some progress, and I think we finally have a Consumer Product Safety Commission that is interested in enforcing the law.
But that only has meaning for families this holiday season if they're armed with the facts. And that's what this, Trouble in Toyland, is all about. We've got it on the web where any family can see it and be aware of it as we enter the busiest shopping weekend.
Doggett demonstrated the way to test to see if parts are too dangerous for small children. He said parents can use a toilet tissue roll -- if a part slips through that, it likely can be swallowed by a child.
