Lawnmowers and other power equipment are among the most common sources of household accidents involving children. Here are some important safety tips that will help keep your yard accident-free:
- Do NOT allow children to ride as passengers on ride-on mowers.
- Always insist that children play in a different part of the yard, or inside when you are mowing the lawn.
- A child should be at least 12 years old before operating a walk-behind mower, and then should only allowed to operate the mower with proper training and supervision.
- Try to use a mower with a control that stops the mower from moving forward if the handle is released.
- Children younger than 14 years (by some recommendations, 16 years) should not be allowed to use ride-on mowers.
- Always turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher.
- Do not place a warm mower where little hands might touch it before it has cooled down completely.
For more summer safety tips, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics