Accidents are the leading cause of death for kids at just about all ages.
Although the leading causes of these accidental deaths include car accidents, drownings, poisonings, fires, falls and gun accidents, there are many hidden dangers that parents are less aware of that can lead to accidents and tragedies.
Especially during the spring and summer, lawn mower accidents can be a big problem. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) estimates that about 17,000 children require care in the emergency room each year because of lawn mower accidents.
Recent lawn mower accidents and tragedies include:
- A 22-month-old in Charlestown, Rhode Island who lost part of his arm when he reached through an enclosure and his father ran over his arm on his riding lawn mower.
- A 3-year-old in Tabor City, North Carolina who died after getting run over by a lawn mower. He was riding on the lawn mower with his older cousin, who stopped to move a trampoline, when the toddler put the mower in gear and got run over.
- A 7-year-old in Isabella County, Michigan who had his foot severed after he fell off a riding lawn mower he was riding with his dad and his foot got run over.
- An 3-year-old in Genoa Township, Michigan had her leg amputated after a lawn mower accident in which her grandfather accidentally backed over her while mowing the lawn.
- An 11-year-old in Washington Township, Ohio needed surgery after her foot was partially severed after a lawn mower accident.
- A 2-year-old in Lexington, KY died after she fell off the lawn mower she was riding on with her father and 7-year-old brother on a family farm.
- A 5-year-old who died in Michigan after getting run over by a riding lawn mower. The child was playing in the grass and was run over by one of her parents, who couldn't see her.
- A 10-year-old in Berrien County, GA who was killed when the mower he was riding on somehow ran him over. His mother found him lying under the machine.
- A 4-year-old in Nyona Lake, IN who suffered severe cuts after being run over by a riding lawn mower; his mother couldn't see him as she was backing up.
- A 4-year-old girl in Hot Springs, MT who lost her leg when she fell off the lawn mower she was riding on with her dad.
- A 2-year-old in Revell Downs, MD who lost his right leg below the knee and his left foot after he ran into the path of a lawn mower.
- A 3-year-old who fell and got his leg caught under a lawn mower that his dad was using in Pennsylvania.
Lawn Mower Safety
These lawn mower incidents highlight how important it is to keep lawn mower safety in mind, especially if you have kids. Unfortunately, lawn mower safety is not something many people think about. The AAP says that "most children will not be ready to operate a walk-behind power mower or hand mower until at least 12 years of age or a ride-on mower until at least 16 years of age."It is also important to keep young kids inside when you mow the lawn and never let a child ride on your lap while you use a ride-on mower.
Sources:
American Academy of Pediatrics Technical Report. Lawn Mower-Related Injuries to Children Pediatrics. Vol. 107 No. 6 June 2001, p. e106
American Academy of Pediatrics. Steer Children Clear of Lawn Mover Injuries. Accessed June 2011.
Consumer Product Safety Commission. Riding Lawnmowers. Document #588. Accessed May 2011.
