Ride-on mowers or lawn tractors are common lawn and field mowing vehicles used in the United States. An estimated 7.65 million such mowers are in operation annually.1 They are larger, more mechanically complex to operate, and much more powerful than their walk-behind counterparts. As a consequence, the risk of injury and possible death to children from these vehicles is high but almost entirely preventable.
A 1988 Hazard Report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), based on statistics from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) Special Mower Surveys (1983-1986), stated that there are approximately 19,000 ride-on mower injuries and 75 deaths in the United States annually.1 This indicates an annual injury rate of 2.5 injuries per 1,000 ride-on mowers.
