False propaganda by some businesses, insufficient consumer protection awareness, frequent safety incidents
note! Improper use of electric balance scooter has safety risks
In April of this year, an 8-year-old boy in Jinyun, Zhejiang, got his fingers stuck in a balance car and could not move. The parents who could do nothing had to ask the fire department for help. After the firefighters arrived at the scene, they found that the three fingers of the boy's right hand were tightly clamped between the wheel and the baffle of the balance car, and they were red and swollen. After inspecting the structure and material of the balance car, the firefighters found that the tires and shell of the car were hard plastic and lacking flexibility. They could only be disassembled one by one with a screwdriver and a wrench before the child's fingers could come out.
In recent years, a new product called "electric balance scooter" has become very popular, and it can be seen from time to time in communities, parks and even on the roadside. On shopping websites, the price of electric balance bikes ranges from a few hundred to several thousand yuan. The price is not very high, and it is easy to learn, but this product also has great safety risks.
Today, Consumer Network and Beijing Sunshine Consumer Big Data Research Institute's "Electric Balanced Vehicle Consumer Public Opinion Data Analysis Report" shows that from June 20, 2019 to June 19, 2020, a total of negative public opinions about electric balance vehicles were monitored. Information 221684 pieces. Among them, the public opinion on safety accidents is the most, accounting for 66.67%; followed by public opinion information such as violation of regulations, product quality and false publicity.
Some businesses mislead consumers with false propaganda
"Public opinion data shows that in recent years, incidents related to riding electric balance bikes falling or causing other safety accidents have occurred from time to time, arousing widespread public attention. The main reason is that the electric balance bikes are fast, without physical braking systems and protection. Equipment, coupled with many people riding illegally on the road and lack of awareness of protection, it is easy to be rushed in unexpected situations, which leads to frequent accidents." said Chen Xuhui, data director of Beijing Sunshine Consumer Big Data Research Institute.
In addition, the electric balance bike is stylish, small in size, and easy to carry. Many office workers even use it as a "last mile" transportation tool. In the streets and alleys of the city, you can often see people riding by on an electric balance scooter. Some people not only ride on the road illegally on electric balance bikes, but also walk and change lanes at will on the road, which seriously affects traffic order and brings serious traffic safety hazards.
However, experts pointed out that electric balance bikes are neither children’s toys nor vehicles, and their product attributes and application scenarios lack corresponding specifications, causing consumers to mistake such products for children’s toys and vehicles and ignore their existence. The business has played a role in contributing to the risk of
The report shows that some businesses not only deliberately conceal the safety risks of electric balance bikes, do not prompt safety precautions in a significant way, but also exaggerate the speed, functions and materials of electric balance bikes. Some electric balance scooter can only travel 20 kilometers, but it is advertised that it can travel 120 kilometers; some businesses claim that electric balance scooter is beneficial to children's exercise balance, and promote it as "children's smart electric balance scooter" and "electrical for children aged 8-12 Scooter" and so on.
It is recommended to clarify the product attributes of electric balance vehicles as soon as possible
In response to the problems of electric balance scooter, Chen Xuhui suggested that relevant departments should combine the product characteristics, market demand, safety guarantee, laws and regulations of electric balance scooter as soon as possible to clarify the product attributes of electric balance scooter, and design, produce, sell and use it. Included in the scope of supervision. At the same time, through the formulation and improvement of relevant laws and regulations, the production, sales and use of electric balance vehicles are clarified, and relevant punishment rules and regulations have been formulated. The implementation of standardized production training for manufacturers of electric balance bikes requires that product quality be controlled in all links to ensure that product quality is controllable, safety performance can be traced, and product quality and safety are guaranteed from the source.
Zhang Dezhi, director of the Consumer Supervision Department of the China Consumers Association, pointed out that consumers must continue to improve their awareness of self-protection. When consumers buy electric balance bikes, they should not blindly pursue low prices, nor should they blindly pursue excessive mileage, and try to choose products from regular manufacturers with good reputation. Do not use the electric balance scooter as a means of transportation, let alone riding on a motor vehicle lane. Choose a closed place or a special place for use, and wear helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist pads and other protective gear.
"In addition, in view of the overall lack of safety awareness of electric balance bikes in the society, it is recommended that all parties in the society be widely gathered to strengthen publicity and guidance to improve the safety awareness of parents, students and consumers of different age levels." Zhang Dezhi said. (Our newspaper, Beijing, July 20th)