Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Allison Cassady, research director of the United States. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG), demonstrates a rubber toy that could be a strangulation hazard for children at a news conference to raise awareness of risks of various toys in Washington on November 21. Cassady, in presenting the U.S. PIRG's 21st annual toy safety survey, showed toys that are for sale this holiday season which represent choking hazards, contain lead, present a strangulation hazard or use powerful magnets. - Reuters

Few times of year are looked forward to quite like Christmas. Even the air seems to have a different feel. For the children, it is especially exciting as they hope to get lots of toys to enjoy with relish. They almost always have a long wish list as to which ones they want and the poor old parents have the unenviable task of at least trying to fill their Christmas stockings.

Searching for the perfect toy can be exhaustive. But parents need to take care that the items of amusement they want for their little ones don't end up choking or harming them, or worse, taking their lives.

Recently, the United States Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) released its 21st annual toy safety survey. The report gave persons various suggestions to. A few of them were:

Avoid toys made of PVC plastic; choose wooden or cloth toys instead. Never give latex balloons to children younger than eight years old.

Keep magnetic toys away from children under six.

Toys such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards and inline skates are safer when children wear protective gear.

Make sure balls for children under six years old are more than 1.75 inches in diameter (so they can't swallow them).

This isn't the first time this year that the alarm has gone up on certain items involving children. In April of this year, The Gleaner carried a story on United States-based Consumer Product Safety Commission stating that 580,000 necklace and ring sets, imported by Dollar Tree Distribution Inc., were being recalled because of the danger of lead poisoning.

Tips for buying toys for young children

Back home, before last year's Christmas rush began, the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) recalled a brand of strollers that were tested and found to be defective and potentially dangerous to the infants they carry. When buying toys, the CAC recommends the following steps:

Check for age-appropriate toys. Know your child. He or she may be more advanced or less so than the recommended age on the package.

Choose a toy with colouring that is non-toxic and does not peel off. Examine the pieces that make up the whole toy. Check the fastenings, screws and flexible parts.

For toddlers, ensure that joints do not break off easily if bitten, chewed or dropped on a hard surface. Ensure that pieces of the toy are not small enough to be bitten off and swallowed by accident.

Check mobile toys to ensure that no electrical component is exposed like wires, such as those in remote controlled cars and that battery-operated toys have a fastened lid for batteries.

Test the toy to ensure that volume on playback toys CAN BE adjusted and is not deafening.

If in doubt, leave the toy in the store. There are thousands of toys available from which to choose.

Sources: http://uspirg.org, www.ToySafety.net and www.consumeraffairsjamaica.gov.jm.

The possibility of thefts and car accidents seem to rise during the Christmas/New Year season. Here are a few tips to improve your safety during this time.

Shop in a group. The-more-the-merrier strategy eliminates you being a lone target.

Use a credit card as often as you can.

If you have to use cash, window-shop so you have an idea of how much things will cost before you go out. That way you won't have extra and unnecessary cash.

Try to shop early in the day, especially if you have to take the bus or taxi home.

If you have to shop near the evening hours, try to go with at least one friend

While on the road, be extra vigilant of those drivers who may have had a few too many to drink.

If you are inclined to have a few drinks yourself, ensure you have at least one friend who can drive you home.