As we recognize the 25th anniversary of Danny Lineweaver’s death, we remember that his crib-related incident is just one of many that occur each year, nearly 40 of which are fatal annually according to the US Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC). The corner posts of Danny’s crib caught his shirt, and restricted his ability to breathe, the effects of which tragically constrained his life afterwards. Nevertheless, Danny’s inner strength even as a child was made abundantly clear, as paralleled by his parents who directed their efforts towards bringing about awareness for the importance of creating a stronger crib standard. This is an effort that KID honors deeply. In 1986, Danny’s parents established The Danny Foundation (TDF), a non-profit specifically aimed at building awareness about crib safety and removing unsafe cribs from use.
One of the many remarkable accomplishments of TDF is the passing of the law that made the use of cribs that do not meet current safety standards in California (the Lineweavers’ home state) illegal. KID relied on that legislation to craft the Illinois Children’s Product Safety Act in 1999, to prohibit the sale of any children’s product that had been recalled or did not meet a federal standard.
Parts of the legislation that the Lineweavers and TDF championed were incorporated into the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, leading to the adoption of the world’s strongest crib standard in 2010. Although TDF closed in 2005, our commitment to the work on cribs at KID is done in Danny Lineweaver’s honor. You can learn more about crib safety and hazards, as well as tips on keeping your home free of unsafe children’s products by visiting KID’s crib page, dedicated to Danny.
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