Thanks to my father's love - and constant pursuit - of the perfectly manicured lawn, nothing can take me back to childhood summers like the smell of freshly cut grass. But while the lawn mower conjures up happy memories for some, it also leads to unhappy events for others: More than 200,000 adults (and some 17,000 children) were treated for lawn mower injuries last year - a 3 percent increase over 2009 numbers.
A Consumer Reports article discusses the problem and references a survey showing that not enough people are taking necessary safety precautions while cutting grass: For example, 54 percent of mowers wear shorts, "leaving... legs vulnerable to injury from thrown objects," and 14 percent mow in flip flops (!) or sandals. And just in time for the holiday weekend (during which many - including my dad - will be taking their mower for a spin) the website offers 13 tips on how to practice safe mowing.
Photo by AdamKR
