As we’ve recently reported on our South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, lawn mowers are causing some serious problems across the nation, especially in the state of Florida. We recently reported about a man who was involved in a mower-car accident along the 8820 block of Northlake Blvd west of the Bee Line Highway.
In another incident, a 2-year-old boy was injured in a lawn mower accident in Lake Placid, according to The Palm Beach Post. In this accident, the child’s mother was mowing the lawn when she ran over his leg with the mower. The young boy remains at the Tampa General Hospital in critical condition.
Our Palm Beach personal injury attorneys understand that there have been at least two other lawn mower accidents in the state of Florida this year that involved young children. Back in April, a toddler lost both legs below the knees after her father ran over her legs. In another instance, a 4-year-old lost part of her leg after her father backed over her with a riding lawn mower.
In 2010, there were close to 240,000 adults and another 17,000 children across the country who were injured in lawn mower accidents. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that about 80 percent of these injuries were sustained by boys — mostly to the hands or the arms.
“These can be life-changing injuries for children, but they are totally preventable,” says Steven Lovejoy, an orthopedic surgeon at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville.
The most important safety tip to remember while mowing your yard is to keep children away. It’s best for them to stay in the house during this time. However, many of the older children in our homes even participate in yard maintenance. If your child is mowing the lawn, remember the following safety tips:
-No child under the age of 12 should operate a walk-behind power mower or hand mower.
-No child under the age of 16 should be allowed to operate a riding mower.
-Make sure children are aware of the dangers and the risks of mowing a lawn. Spend some time showing them how to mow safely.
-Supervise children until you are positive that they can complete the job safely alone.
-Avoid mowing the lawn in inclement weather, like during a thunderstorm. Also, avoid using the lawn mower on wet grass or during evening/dark hours.
-Before anyone begins to mow the lawn, make sure that the yard is clear of any obstructions, including toys, stones, twigs or anything else that the blades of the mower may throw.
-Make sure that anyone who operates the mower is wearing sturdy closed-toe shoes that have slip-proof soles. They should also be wearing the proper safety goggles, close-fitting clothes and hearing protection.
We are forced to mow our lawns frequently here in the state of Florida. Let’s make sure that we’re mowing safely each and every time.
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, call Freeman Injury Law at 1-800-561-7777 for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Man Killed in Lawn Mower-Motor Vehicle Accident
, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, September 10, 2013