06/07/2022
There are alternatives to bed rails, as the advocacy organization National Consumer Voice points out. The other options include lowering the bed as close to the floor as possible or investing in an adjustable-height bed; placing non-slip mattress pads or cushions alongside the bed for potential falls; and using a secured vertical pole or bed trapeze to assist with getting in and out of bed.
Adult bed rails have been linked to hundreds of deaths and injuries over the years. The CPSC is starting work on a federal safety standard, nearly a decade after consumer groups asked for one.