Mowing lawns is a popular summer job for teens everywhere. But before your child starts using your lawn mower, it’s important to know just how powerful it is, and to be aware of lawn mower safety rules.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), more than 9,000 children a year are treated in emergency rooms for lawn mower injuries. Most of these injuries occur in their own backyards. Consider these facts:
- The majority of children treated for lawnmower-related injuries are very young, between the ages of just 3-5.
- Injuries range from burns after touching hot engines and puncture wounds from flying debris to limbs severed by blades that spin at 3,000 rpm.
- Many of these injuries result in some degree of amputation.
YOUNG CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR ARE AT RISK
As an orthopaedic surgeon, I know firsthand how bad these injuries can be. Many times the stories are similar: A child was riding with a relative on a riding lawn mower and fell off. Or a child was walking or running behind someone on a riding mower, the relative backed up without seeing the child and ran over the child’s feet.
While the number of lawn mower accidents that happen is relatively small compared to other types of injuries, the severity of the injuries is often catastrophic. The good news is that most of these injuries can be prevented with a few safety measures.
Here are some tips to help keep your children and grandchildren safe while mowing the lawn, and to teach your child when it’s their turn to start mowing.
WHEN IS MY CHILD OLD ENOUGH TO MOW THE LAWN?
- Push Mower: Age 12 or older
- Riding Mower: Age 16 or older
LAWN MOWER SAFETY TIPS
Before Mowing
- Pick up objects from lawn, such as stones and toys, to prevent injuries from flying objects.
- Make sure all kids under the age of 15 are indoors when someone else is mowing.
- Do not allow children or adults to ride as a passenger on a riding mower.
While Mowing
- Do not pull the mower backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary, and look behind you when you do.
- Turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel paths.
- Wear hard-soled shoes (no sandals or sneakers), hearing and eye protection.
LAWN MOWER SAFETY FEATURES
The safest lawn mower has the following features:
- When placed in reverse, the blade disengages.
- When handle is released, the mower stops.
- When driver leaves operating position, a ride-on mower disconnects the blade from the power source.
Even though a lot of lawn mowers come with safety features, improper use can result in injuries. Be sure to read the safety procedures in your operator’s manual.
PARENTS: ENFORCE RULES
Because lawn mowers can be so dangerous, parents need to make sure the tips above are followed every time the lawn is mowed. The horrible lawn mower accidents I’ve seen in kids are preventable. I caution all parents to be aware that a lawn mower must be treated with extreme caution and handled responsibly. When done correctly and safely, mowing lawns can be a great summer job for teenagers.
Great, timely PSA post!
Thank you Dr. Tamai. It always breaks my heart to see these little ones with such horrible injuries!!
Nice post on lawn mower safety.Thanks for sharing it…
Thank you for sharing this information. Our grandson is almost 13, wants to help us. We walk with him when using our self propelled lawn mower. It has all the safety features, but I’m still cautious. Must stop pulling mower backwards. Don’t want him to be doing that and fall.
Thank you again.
Cindee
Volunteer at
Liberty.
While I appreciate the PSA, I would err on the side of caution with using words such as “careless” and “preventable”. My daughter was backed over by a mower a little over a year ago. While I do realize this to be a horrible accident, using the word careless does not apply. Only people whom have not lived these tragedies use such words. “Preventable”. Can all accidents be prevented? I never see this term used in regards to so many other accidents that happen. Yes, we can decrease the number of accidents with these PSA’s for sure. But why not do some for seat belts, sharp knives, or other things that you KNOW how to do safely, but still have these accidents. I am a nurse. My husband is an excellent father. We are not “careless”.
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Thanks for the information. A few years ago, I met a guy who had lost a finger as child because he hadn’t been safe around a lawn mower. I agree that children and pets should not be nearby when someone is using outdoor power equipment. Your tip about clearing the area to be mowed is also really great as well. I’ve mowed over sticks without noticing and gotten scratches on my legs as a result.
A friend of mine was killed because there was no shut off when the person left the seat. He was on a hill and hit a yellow jacket nest. He jumped off and the mower rolled on top of him blade first. If there had been a shut off on the seat back then he would still be alive today. Make sure when you buy a new mower it has all the safety features. Never disable any of them!
Your PSA is appreciated. I have read similar PSA’s spanning decades. Sadly they have not had much of an impact. So, for the last 4 years I have been posting stories about lawn mower and similar machinery accidents on Facebook. I run a page called “Lawn Mower Accident Support and Prevention.” Additionally I help guide families who’ve experienced an “LMA” to a closed support group of 400 families who are recovering from one. Members in the group are from the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, South Africa, and Australia. They cover different generations and some have lost children in one of these accidents. The group is a tremendous resource of insight and hope for new LMA families.
Having observed that awareness campaigns, medical studies, manufacturers literature and safety features have never been effective at slowing the accident trend, I invented a wireless safety device that automatically shuts off potentially dangerous equipment when an unobserved bystander, child, or pet gets too close. It can be affixed to virtually any power equipment aftermarket. I believe this is the future for having a true ability to teach children about the dangers around them without catastrophic injury risk. I hope to not read another PSA in a decade. It’s about time this problem was solved for the sake of all children and families who have and will experience it.
Great article! I hear stories every week from our team as they are doing for our clients about the lack of attention some have for safety while mowing. When I hear them talk about kids 7/8 years old “playing” with the riding mowers by driving them around the yard I can just imagine how someone’s world could be turned upside down. Sometimes being the cool parent isn’t cool!