Hoverboards Banned by NJ TRANSIT, No Longer Allowed on New Jersey Public Transit
Anyone who received a hoverboard as a gift over the holidays is going to have to make sure they avoid carrying the popular device on trains and other forms of public transit in New Jersey. That’s because NJ TRANSIT recently made an announcement that it has banned the possession of hoverboards on trains, light rail and Access Link vehicles.
NJ TRANSIT officials said that the decision to ban hoverboards was made because the public was being put at risk of serious injuries from fires and slip & fall accidents involving the motorized scooters.
The NJ public transportation agency also said that it needed to protect NJ TRANSIT workers against injuries that might be caused by hoverboard-related fires. For example, a New Jersey family reported that their hoverboard burst into flames in December 2015. Similar reports of explosions and fires caused by hoverboards have been come from New York and elsewhere in the country.
The source of the problem is said to be a product defect involving the lithium-ion batteries used in hoverboards. While the devices are being charged, the batteries have a tendency to overheat, creating a significant risk of explosion.
Jim Smith, the senior public information officer for NJ TRANSIT, said that “the goal of the ban is to prevent an accident before it happens.” To that end, the public transit agency banned hoverboards, just as it has previously prohibited in-line skates and skateboards from use on trains and light rail.
For additional information about the NJ ban on hoverboards, access the New York CBS article, “NJ TRANSIT Bans Hoverboards on Trains, Light Rail.”
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a defective product or due to a slip & fall accident, you should talk to a skilled product liability lawyer. The New Jersey personal injury and product liability attorneys at Drazin and Warshaw, P.C. have more than 70 years of combined experience with personal injury cases and will fight to get you full compensation for your injuries. Contact us now to schedule a free consultation about your case.
