Risk Factors for Pediatric Bystander-Related Riding Lawnmower Injuries: A Qualitative Study

Riding lawnmowers are the most frequent cause of major limb amputation in children in the United States. Our study objective was to investigate the circumstances of child bystander-related riding lawnmower injuries and identify behaviors leading to these events. Followers/members of lawnmower injury-related Facebook pages, who were aware of children that had suffered a lawnmower injury, were invited to complete a survey. Qualitative analysis of open-ended questions was performed. Of 140 injured children, 97 (69%) were bystanders. Major themes identified that contributed to the bystander-related injury event included: supervision issues (40%), child not perceiving danger (40%), child allowed to be in vicinity of mower (23%), and mower-related issues (58%), especially mowing in reverse. The contributing risk factors identified for child bystander-related riding lawnmower injuries reinforce many safety directives including close supervision of children by someone other than the operator, and not allowing children outside when mowing is being performed. Many children injured were approaching the mower to get rides. Mower rides likely desensitize children to the inherent dangers and lead them to seek rides when mowers are being used. Mower design preventing blade operation in reverse and not giving children rides may be critical in decreasing bystander-related riding lawnmower injuries.