Self-Balancing Scooters Have Caused Over $2 Million In Damage Since December

We all know that the so-called hoverboards are bad news. In addition to making you look really stupid, they can also cause some serious damage. The US Office of Compliance and Field Operations recently compiled a report on the devices, and sent it to "Manufacturers, Importers, and Retailers of Self-Balancing Scooters."

The letter urged the recipients to ensure that the scooters they sell, manufacture, or import all comply with current applicable voluntary safety standards. While we all know that the devices can be dangerous, this office was able to determine just how dangerous. And the monetary damage is actually rather surprising.

According to the letter, between December 1, 2015 and February 17, 2016, they received reports of 52 self-balancing scooters (I'm refusing to call them hoverboards from now on. You know what they are, and they don't hover.) caught fire, causing more than $2 million in damage. This includes the destruction of two houses, and one car.

The letter goes on to shame those involved in selling, manufacturing, and importing the rolling gadgets. Saying that all of this damage would have been prevented, if the scooters had simply been manufactured in a way that complied with the department's safety standards.

Source: CPSC