3-Year-Old Washington Boy Killed in Riding Mower Accident
On Thursday, April 26, 2018, a 3-year-old Washington child was killed in a tragic riding mower accident. According to a tweet by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the young boy was “riding the lawn mower with his father” when he fell off, went under the mower and was run over. The child was pronounced dead at the scene and a news report on local TV news station KOMO, stated that authorities have ruled the boy’s death an accident.
Riding mower accident statistics
Lawn tractors and riding lawn mowers are essential for mowing large grassy areas. They save time and energy because they move much faster than a push mower but they can also cause serious injuries when an accident occurs. Children between the ages of two and five years are particularly vulnerable to being injured in riding mower back-over accidents with the cutting blades turning. Riding mower accidents are almost always preventable which makes these statistics even more tragic:
- According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 800 children are run over by riding mowers or small tractors every year in the United States. More than 600 of those accidents result in amputation and 75 people are killed.
- Each year 20,000 are injured in riding mower accidents.
- One in five riding mower deaths involves a child.
Riding mower accident prevention
- The Consumer Product Safety Commission fact sheet about riding lawn mowers states that children should “never” be carried on mowers “even with the blade(s) shut off” because “They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere with safe mower operation.” They go on to state that “Children who have been given rides in the past may suddenly appear in the mowing area for another ride and be run over or backed over by the machine.” The bottom line is that riding mowers are meant to be one-person machines. They should only be operated from the driver’s seat, keeping both feet on the tractor at all times. Furthermore, drivers should never carry any passengers, especially children.
- It is advised that children under the age of six remain indoors when the lawn is being mowed as there is a real risk of flying debris hurting the child. It is also dangerous to let a child be towed in a trailer or wagon behind a mower for the same reason.
- All riding mowers should have a safety sticker warning drivers to never mow backwards because of the very real risk of running someone over. Children between the ages of two and five years are particularly vulnerable to being injured in riding mower back-over accidents with the cutting blades turning. Many of these accidents are preventable; when manufacturers fail to place a “No Mow In Reverse” (NMIR) safety feature on their mowers they are risking more riding lawnmowers accidents. Thankfully, pretty well all new riding mowers manufactured after September, 2004 have this inexpensive safety feature.
If you or a loved one is dealing with an accident or injury through no fault of your own, you have enough on your plate. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
