Most people don’t realize it, but lawn darts — a popular backyard game played for decades — are completely banned in the United States and have been since 1988. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the sale of all lawn darts on December 19, 1988, after the product was linked to the deaths of children and hundreds of serious injuries every year. Before the ban, an estimated 670 injuries a year from lawn darts were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms — and three-fourths of those victims were under age 15.
Why Were Lawn Darts Banned?
Lawn darts used in outdoor games have been responsible for the deaths of children. Pointed lawn darts have been directly linked to the deaths of three children. In one incident, a 7-year-old boy in Elkhart, Indiana suffered a severe brain injury after a lawn dart pierced his skull.
A set of lawn darts typically includes four large darts and two targets. The darts are about 12 inches long with a heavy metal or weighted plastic tip on one end and three plastic fins on a rod at the other end. They are intended to be grasped by the rod and thrown underhand toward a target. While the tip may not appear sharp enough to be obviously dangerous, these darts can cause skull punctures and other serious, life-threatening injuries.
What Should You Do?
CPSC urges consumers to discard or destroy all lawn darts immediately. They should not be given away, as they may cause harm to others. Despite the ban, some lawn darts may still be found in garages, basements, or second-hand stores.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission-ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC. Consumers who find lawn darts still being sold should report it immediately.
To report lawn darts being sold or a dangerous product injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 800-638-8270).
