(HealthDayNews) -- Lawn mowers can be a hazard, especially when children are around.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these safety tips:
- Try to use a mower with a control that stops the mower from moving forward if the handle is let go.
- Kids under age 16 should not operate ride-on mowers.
- Don't allow children under 12 to use walk-behind mowers.
- Wear sturdy shoes, not sandals or sneakers.
- Wear hearing and eye protection.
- Avoid pulling the mower backward unless absolutely necessary. Check that there are no kids behind you when you mow in reverse.
- Turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel paths and roads.
