Baby & child news roundup: Toys, outlet covers, family cars, more

Outlet cover choking hazard. A concerned grandfather wrote to us recently to say that the family of his "toddler granddaughter" had been given some animal-shaped outlet covers that he suspected were more of a hazard than an effective childproofing device. The multi-colored plastic plugs "certainly would seem to be attractive to a toddler," he wrote. Read the full Safety blog post.

Fewer toy recalls, more child injuries. The Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission recently hailed the significant reduction in toy recalls this year. But the CPSC's annual report showed that there were 172,700 toy-related injuries that sent children under 15 to the nation's emergency rooms in 2008, the highest injury level since 2001. Read the full Safety blog post.

What’s the better family car? "I'm trying to decide between buying a Camry or an Accord, which would you recommend for a family or four with two young children in car seats?" Find out our answer in the Cars blog family sedan chat transcript.

School lunch makeover. Having lived through school lunches of chicken fried steak with cream gravy and mashed potatoes, I realize that many school cafeterias have made some strides. But placing a largely ignored bowl of apples at the end of the line does little. Read the full Health blog post.

Despite risks, teens report texting while driving. A new study shows that a quarter of American teens have texted while driving—dangerous behavior for a group that statistically, already carries significant risks when behind the wheel. Read the full Cars blog post.