Lawnmower Safety

When I was growing up I have fond memories of hopping onto my Dad's lap when he was mowing the lawn. Riding on the lawnmower with him was an exciting activity of the warmer months, one which all we all enjoyed. I never thought about the safety of riding on a power vehicle with spinning blades, and I'm sure that it didn't really enter my parents' consciousness either.

Even though I adored riding on the mower with my Dad, it does not happen with my own kids. Perhaps this is an issue of when you know better, you make better choices. I have too many friends who are amputees due to a lawnmower accident. Did you know that every single day a child loses a limb to a lawnmower in this country?  I cannot imagine the horror felt by the parent or adult who was driving during the accident.

When the boys (mainly Timmy at this point) want to go for a ride on the lawnmower, the blade is disengaged and they drive (slowly) on our asphalt driveway to the mailbox at the end of the street. To safeguard against tipping, they do not travel through the uneven yard. It takes Scott longer to mow now because he can't multitask by also entertaining Timmy, but his safety is paramount.  

Yesterday we recorded an Amp'd podcast about lawnmower safety.  The topic was prompted by an encounter with our new neighbor, who was allowing his six-year-old to drive the lawnmower (the blade was not engaged) through his yard while Timmy was in the vicinity.  You can listen to the story, as well as some lawnmower safety tips, in this quick podcast.