Lawn mower safety tips: How to protect your child from injuries

Summer often brings more outdoor time and yard work. And although a well-maintained lawn is great, safety should always come first – especially when kids are around.

Lawn mowers are powerful machines that can cause serious injuries if not handled properly. Each year, nearly 10,000 children are injured by lawn mowers with 9,000 of those children needing to go to the emergency department. These injuries are one of the most common causes of amputations in children. Despite increased mower safety specifications and requirements, lawn mower injury incidence rates have remained essentially unchanged for the past 40 years.

The good news? These injuries are preventable.

Lawn mower safety dos and don'ts

Lawn mowers can cause injuries ranging from cuts and burns to fractures and amputation. To prevent injuries, follow these mowing guidelines:

• Before mowing, pick up objects in the lawn such as rocks and sticks.
• Always drive up and down - not across- slopes or hills to prevent mower rollovers.
• Wear protective gear such as eye protection and closed toe shoes.
• Only mow during the daytime.
• Decrease your speed when going down slopes.
• Make wide turns.
• Turn off the mower and let the blades completely stop before removing anything.

Bystanders, especially children, are more likely to be hit by a riding lawn mower. That’s why you should always be aware of your surroundings before mowing the lawn. You should also:

• Never allow a child to play outside while a lawn mower is in use.
• Never ride with a child on a lawn mower, even if the blades are off.
• Never mow in reverse.
• Never fill the gas tank while the mower is running.

When is it safe for children to mow the lawn?

Having your child mow the lawn can be a great way to get outside or teach responsibility. However, to ensure their safety, your child should be at least 12 years old to operate a push mower and at least 16 years old to operate a riding mower. And always have your child wear protection on their face, feet and ears.

Before letting your child mow the lawn independently, take the time to teach them how to do it safely. Supervise their work until you're confident they can handle the task on their own.

Most importantly, if your child has been in a mower-related accident, call 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency department.

This blog was medically reviewed by a MercyOne Provider