According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, drop-side crib models that have a side rail that can be raised and lowered are no longer allowed to be manufactured or sold in the U.S.
"The baby can get wedged between the mattress and [its] side, because it can detach and come loose, and that's been the problem with the drop-sides," CPSC spokeswoman Patty Davis said.
At least 32 babies have been killed in drop-side cribs in the past decade. In the past five years, 7 million of the cribs have been recalled.
Robert and Susan Cirigliano lost their 6-month-old son Bobby when he suffocated in a drop-side crib.
"After research, we found that a lot of these cribs have caused injuries and deaths," Robert Cirigliano said.
Don Maze of the Consumers Union said there will now be testing before they go to market instead of counting on recalls.
Besides the ban on the manufacturing and sales of drop-side cribs, safety changes in effect include:
- Support for mattresses and strengthening of crib slats.
- Raising the durability of crib hardware.
- More rigorous safety testing.
It will not only be illegal to manufacture drop-side cribs, but also illegal to sell one, new or used, even if it's at a neighborhood yard sale or flea market.
Hotels, motels and day care centers will be allowed to use the cribs for another 18 months only.
