We all know that lawn mowers can be very dangerous. Every year there are a few stories about children or pets being killed by a lawn mower, but we dont hear much about the thousands of accidents that leave users disfigured and seriously hurt. It is very common for people to lose fingers and even their vision in lawn equipment accidents, and most of these accidents can be prevented. Here are some safety tips to help avoid getting hurt this season:

Wear shoes and pants if possible. Most minor accidents involve debris being kicked out of the back of the mower and cutting a leg or a foot. This can also be helped by keeping a full debris guard on the back of the mower.

Clear your yard of debris before you mow. If it is possible to have rocks, branches or toys in your lawn, make sure you have checked in the tall grass for anything that should not be mowed. This is the most common cause of people losing their vision while mowing, you hit some debris that kicks out into your, or someone elses eye.

Dont mow near another person. Similar to above, debris can kick out and injure anyone too close to the lawn mower. This is a common source of injury for commercial mowing employees.

Dont refuel or handle your lawnmower when it is hot, let it cool down to avoid any chance of being burned or the fuel combusting and really burning you.

Dont mow the grass when it is wet. This can cause you to slip and get hurt by just slipping, or by contacting the mower blade, also, you will not get a good cut, and your lawn will not look as good.

Have your lawnmower tuned up by a small engine professional, they have been trained to fix your mower correctly, and can point out potential mechanical and safety problems of your mower.

Now that you are done reading, it is time to get that grass cut. Remember to be safe, getting hurt while mowing your lawn is not a good story to have!