Senator Carlucci’s Legislation Banning Crib Bumper Pads Passes in NYS Senate

(Albany, NY) – Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) passed legislation (S.3788A) in the New York State Senate today, banning the sale of crib bumper pads in New York. The legislation also restricts their use at daycare facilitates. If a manufacturer, importer, distributor, wholesaler, retailer or secondhand dealer is caught selling crib bumper pads, then they can be fined up to $500, if found guilty in a court of law.

“We know crib bumper pads have been responsible for more than 60 infant deaths and serious injuries, and yet they are still marketed to parents as a matching nursery accessory. It’s time we ban their sale and prevent further tragedies,” said Senator David Carlucci.  

Crib bumper pads are commonly sold by stores as part of crib bedding sets and cover the slats of the crib. Often parents, who do not know about the numerous safety warnings against them, purchase them because they like the way they look in a nursery.

However, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found crib bumpers have been responsible for 48 infant deaths and 146 injuries to infants from 1985-2012. Crib bumpers were found to have caused infants to suffocate because children fell asleep with their mouth or nose near the bumper. Crib bumpers also led to strangulations due to the ties and injuries when infants old enough to stand climbed on the bumpers and fell out of their cribs.

In 2016, CPSC staff found there were 107 fatal incidents and 282 injuries from January 1990 through march 2016 associated with crib bumpers. Despite CPSC calling crib bumpers “deadly clutter,” there has been no federal legislation banning them.

 The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Institute have both issued warnings regarding the dangers of crib bumper pads and have urged parents not to use them.

Assemblymember Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale) sponsors the corresponding legislation (A.217A) in the Assembly, which can be brought to the floor for a vote at any time.