ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Consumer Reports is calling for a complete ban on baby walkers, saying the products are dangerous and have been blamed for sending almost 2,500 babies to emergency rooms between 2021 and 2023, even after new safety standards were put in place. Those emergency room visits also include toddlers injured on jumpers and exercisers.

They say the products are dangerous, and are blamed for sending almost 2,500 babies to emergency rooms between 2021 and 2023 — that’s after new safety standards were in place.

Consumer Reports is not alone in urging the government to get these products off the market. The American Academy of Pediatrics has been pushing for a ban since 2018. From 1990 to 2014, more than 230,000 toddlers were injured, most of whom suffered head and neck injuries.

Doctors say these devices don’t help babies learn to walk and can actually delay normal motor development. Baby walkers have been banned in Canada for two decades.

In other consumer news, 7-Eleven is shutting down 444 locations across North America due to slowing sales and a decrease in cigarette purchases. The company sells more cigarettes than anything else, and sales have fallen more than 25% since 2019. 7-Eleven executives did not release which stores will close or how many closures will be in America.

Gas prices inched down a bit over the past week, falling half a cent. According to GasBuddy, the average price is $3.35 a gallon. Nationally, the price rose just over three cents, but GasBuddy believes that climb will be short-lived. In Rochester, the cheapest gas is $2.89 at Tops Market in Greece, followed by Walmart, BJ’s in Henrietta, and Costco, which all remain below $3.

Gas Buddy’s chief analyst blames Iran’s attack on Israel for the climb in oil prices which lead to a slight increase in gas prices nationally. But he says oil prices are already falling again, and Milton did not cause a slow-down in refinery capacity.

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