Ahead of Super Bowl, parents warned of potentially deadly TV hazard that could put kids at risk

About 17,800 people are injured annually from tip-over incidents: CPSC

Ahead of Super Bowl weekend, federal safety regulators are warning families to be wary of furniture and TV tip-over incidents that land thousands of children in the hospital each year. 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning Thursday that families need to ensure that heavy furniture, appliances and TVs are stable, saying it is a "significant safety hazard." 

It especially applies to those on the hunt for a new TV ahead of Sunday's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas. 

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According to NerdWallet, January and February are popular times to buy TVs, given the discounts associated with the biggest football game of the year. 

Walmart TV

A worker stocks Samsung televisions at a Walmart store in Secaucus, New Jersey, on Nov. 24, 2023.  (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The notice comes on the heels of a CPSC report that said 17,800 people are injured annually from tip-over incidents with unstable products. 

Children under 18 years old accounted for 44% of those injuries, amounting to one child being treated in the emergency room every 53 minutes, according to the CPSC report. 

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Of the fatalities associated with these accidents, 71% are children, according to the CPSC. 

Best Buy TVs

Samsung televisions are seen stacked inside a Best Buy store in Union City, California, on Nov. 24, 2023.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Meanwhile, furniture-only tip-over incidents increased from 1,800 in 2013 to 4,300 in 2022.

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CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric expressed concern about the data, saying these "furniture and TV tip-overs remain a significant safety hazard in American households." 

Hoehn-Saric noted that the federal regulatory agency adopted a new mandatory rule under the STURDY Act in 2023, which holds furniture manufacturers to a higher safety standard.

Still, consumers need to take further measures to ensure that heavy furniture is secure, such as installing anti-tip-over kits.