June 26, 2019

Know before you mow: What you need to know about lawn mower safety

Warm weather is here and that means lawn mowing season is in full swing. While it seems like a routine house chore, lawn mowing can pose danger for kids and adults.

Take a minute to review the dangers that we need to be aware of to keep our kids safe.

Lawn mowers are the No. 1 cause of traumatic amputations in children. In Wisconsin alone, it is predicted that one to two children will be injured by lawnmowers every day this summer. In looking at all lawn mower-related injuries, 90 percent of these injuries happen in the child's own yard. Additionally, 50 percent of lawn mower-related injuries occur while the lawn mower is in reverse. Power mowers can be especially dangerous to children. The good news though is that many of these lawn mower-related injuries can be prevented.

Lawn mower safety tips

Below are some safety tips to follow to ensure your children are safe during this year's mowing season:

  1. Before starting the lawn mower, know where all children are. Talk to them and be sure they stay out of the yard when someone is mowing. Keeping kids in the house is the ideal safety practice.

  2. If children are playing outside, designate a supervisor (not the person mowing) of the kids while the lawn mower is in use.

  3. Never allow a child to ride as a passenger on a riding mower.

  4. Teach children that lawn mowers are not toys.

  5. Children should be at least age 12 to operate a walk-behind mower.

  6. Children should be at least age 16 to operate a riding lawn mower.