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Mower-Related Injuries Often Involve Children

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 27, 2008

TAMPA - The tragic accident over the weekend in which a Lakeland man on a riding lawnmower ran over his 19-month-old granddaughter is not such an isolated event, authorities said. Across the nation, about 75,000 people are injured in mower mishaps, including almost 10,000 children and teens.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics in a 2007 report, most of the injuries to children involve teens, and a fourth of the accidents injures a child younger than 5. In all, about 75 people die each year from mower injuries, authorities say.

Seven percent of the injuries result in some sort of amputation, the report said.

The incident in Lakeland happened about 6 p.m. Sunday, according to Polk County sheriff's deputies.

Chelsea Moore was on the front walkway with her grandmother, Nancy Moore, 52, watching her grandfather, Donald Ray Moore, 57, mow his lawn in the 4200 block of Poley Lane. The girl suddenly darted away from her grandmother and ran toward the mower, deputies said.

Moore was backing up the John Deere mower at the time and didn't see his granddaughter approaching, deputies said.

The little girl's right leg was run over, and she suffered severe lacerations, deputies said.

She was flown to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa on Sunday night and was listed in critical condition. Donald Moore complained of chest pains and was treated at the scene Sunday night. He was not hospitalized, deputies said.

Lawn mowers and children don't make a good mix, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Both organizations have made the following recommendations in an attempt to limit lawn mower injuries to children:

Children younger than 16 should not operate riding mowers, and children younger than 12 should not operate walk-behind mowers.

Children should never ride as a passenger on a riding lawn mower as there always is the potential to fall and be run over.

Adults using a lawn mower should make sure children are kept out of the yard.

Lawn mower operators always should wear protective gear, including long pants, steel-toed shoes, and eye and ear protection.

Before mowing the lawn, homeowners should make sure all rocks, sticks and toys are removed from the yard. Loose objects can shoot out of the lawn mower and injure people nearby.

Riding mowers can tip or roll over if they are used on slopes or steep hill.

Read the lawn mower owner's manual for operating and care instructions. The manual contains tips on safe use.

Start and refuel mowers outside, not in a garage or shed, and don't refuel when the motor is hot.

The blade settings should be done by an adult with the mower off, and if there is debris to be dislodged, the engine should be off and the spark plug removed or disconnected.

Do not pull the mower backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary.

Turn off the mower before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute or crossing gravel paths or roads.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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