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A toddler was flown to a Salt Lake City hospital Monday afternoon after being struck by a riding lawn mower in Mapleton.
The 2-year-old boy suffered serious leg injuries and was flown to Primary Children's Medical Center, said Mapleton Police Chief Dean Pettersson. The injuries aren't considering life-threatening.
Pettersson said a 12-year-old boy was mowing the lawn when the toddler ran out of the home and was accidently run over when he got too close to the mower.
About 10 days ago, another 2-year-old in Clinton lost her toes when she was run over by a lawn mower.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 200,000 people -- 16,000 of them children -- were treated for lawn mower-related injuries in 2007.
The commission offers the following safety tips for riding mowers:
• Drive up and down slopes, not across.
• Avoid sudden turns; slow wide turns reduce the chance of tipping over.
• If the machine stops when you are moving uphill, disengage the blade first, then back straight down the hill slowly.
• Don't allow children on the mower. Make sure children are both out of the mowing area and supervised by an adult.
• Before backing up, look down and behind the machine. Children are often attracted to the mower and the mowing activity.
• Keep guards, shields, switches and safety devices operational at all times.
• Clear lawn of objects such as rocks, toys and wire that could be picked up and thrown by the blade.
• Finally, read and follow the operator's manual. |
