Lawn Mower Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

Posted On March 27, 2017 In Helpful Information

Last week, our blog discussed how cleaning products can be misused with tragic results. There are additional spring cleaning tips that are necessary for staying safe. Lawn mowers can cause catastrophic injuries or death, sometimes without any warning. According to statistics collected by the Academy of Pediatrics, lawn mowers injure 68,000 people every year. More than 9,400 of those injuries involve children. Common lawn mower injuries to children include lacerations, amputations and fractures.

It is a matter of vital importance to keep your children inside while mowing the lawn, and to ensure children they are old enough to use this equipment.

Why Should You Keep Children Inside While Mowing the Lawn?

There are several ways children can be injured while parents are mowing the lawn. For example, parents may fail to see their children are in the path of the mower. Last year, a Houston man accidently backed over his 4-year-old son’s foot while mowing the lawn. The boy was treated at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital for a lacerated foot. According to the father, he was unaware his son was in the path of the lawn mower.

Children can also run behind or in front of lawn mowers while they are in use. In addition, lawn mower blades can strike rocks or other objects, turning them into high-speed projectiles.

What Other Tips Can Protect Your Children from Lawn Mower Injuries?

Keeping your children inside while you are mowing the lawn is the best surefire way to prevent injuries. However, experts with organizations like the Academy of Pediatrics have other tips that may help keep your children safe.

The Academy of Pediatrics has the following suggestions:

• Children under 12 years old should never use push or “walk-behind” mowers
• Children under 16 years old should not use riding lawn mowers
• Parents should never allow their children to be passengers on riding lawn mowers

It is also important to carefully check your surroundings when mowing the lawn. You will not be able to hear children approaching from the side or behind while mowing. If you are going to put the mower in reverse, look behind you beforehand.

You should also stay informed of possible recalls. Some lawn and brush mowers may have defects. For example, the Pro-XL-44 field and brush mower has a fuel tank malfunction that may release gasoline liquid or vapors this is a fire hazard.

You can check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website for more information on lawn or brush mower recalls. If you or a family member were injured by a defective lawn care product, you may have legal options to pursue damages against the manufacturer or retailer. The Texas product liability attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC can help you weigh possible options.