by Elizabeth Smith

Although cutting the grass with a power mower may seem like an easy task, it’s important to observe basic safety measures to fully protect yourself and others. Every year, more than 67,000 people have to seek out emergency room care due to power mower injuries. About 9,000 of those injured are just 18 years of age or younger. Deep cuts, burns, eye damage and dislocated or broken bones are among the most common power lawn mower injuries.

To help protect your family’s safety, we’ve come up with the following suggestions for minimizing the chances of anyone suffering any power lawn mower injuries.

Key Safety Tips for Cutting Any Lawn

• Reread the instruction manual. Although mowing the lawn may seem as easy as riding a bicycle, take the time to thumb back through your instruction manual occasionally, looking for safety precautions you may have forgotten. If you’ve lost your manual, you may be able to download one off the Internet. Otherwise, contact the manufacturer via the company’s Web site and request a new one;
• Periodically check the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Web site. Make sure your power mower (or rider mower) hasn’t been recalled;
• Check out the grounds ahead of time.Before wheeling your power mower out of the garage, carefully walk across the lawn areas that you’ll be cutting, looking for sharp objects, rocks and other debris. Remove those items by placing them in a garbage can before proceeding any further;
• Wear Safe Shoes. Make sure you’re wearing closed-toe shoes. Never wear sandals of any type;
• Keep Young Children and Petsa Safe Distance Away. Tell your kids that they’re not to play out in the yard – or even nearby – while you’re cutting the lawn. (Once you start cutting the grass, be prepared to stop the mower and give the same warning to any other children who may approach you.)Also, keep your pets a safe distance away — never let them play nearby while you’re cutting the lawn;
• Refuel Outside of the Garage But Not on the Lawn. After taking your power mower out of the garage, refuel it before heading into your yard. Always refuel when the motor is cool and turned off;
• Wear thick gloves. Be sure the mower is turned off when checking the blade settings and making sure all attachments are ready for use. To be extra careful, go ahead and disconnect or remove the spark plug while handling these tasks so the machine can’t suddenly start up on its own;
• No passengers on riding lawn mowers. It’s just too easy for children or others to fall off a riding mower so just cut the lawn and never, under any circumstances, let others sit behind you on the mower;
• Stop the Motor When Necessary. If you need to unclog the discharge chute, remove the grass catcher or cross over an unsafe area covered by gravel or other loose materials, turn off the motor. Also, be prepared to turn off the mower when crossing over a sidewalk or driveway since it’s too easy to cause a small rock to shoot off like a projectile;
• Wear safety goggles and proper earplugs. Be sure to protect your eyes with the right safety goggles and protect your ears from the loud noise. Some people also prefer to wear a small mask over their nose and mouth;
• Never let children under the age of twelve use a power mower. While kids need to do some chores, never let any of your children use your power mower until they’ve safely demonstrated to you – on numerous occasions – that they can properly maneuver it around your property. Adults should usually be the only ones using rider lawn mowers;
• Never smoke or drink any beverage while cutting the lawn. All of your attention must be kept on cutting the grass. Don’t even think about carrying a cell phone with you while cutting the lawn;
• Push the mower in a stable fashion. Avoid pushing the mower forward too fast or maneuvering it too quickly around objects. If you’re walking behind the mower, keep your feet a safe distance away from it;
• Never cut the grass when it’s getting dark. It’s much too easy to make poor safety choices when you can barely see the grassy area you’re trying to cut;
• Never use an electric mower in the rain or when the grass is wet. Also, be sure to only use a grounded extension cord with an electric mower. Always check the entire cord to be sure that none of it is frayed. Be sure to only mow in a direction away from the cord;
• Make sure to always store the lawn mower in a locked garage closet. Never store a power mower where anyone else can easily gain access to it. Whenever possible, maintain a locked closet area in your garage and store the mower in there. (Note: Never store a power mower or fuel cananywhere near a water heater or other appliance that has an open spark, flame or pilot light.)

If you can keep these safety tips in mind each time you cut the grass, you should be able to prevent most injuries.

*   *   *

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients for almost twenty years. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

Elizabeth Smith, J.D., M.A., is a freelance writer who has successfully written about general health, safety, legal, medical and business topics for over twenty years. She has also served as the author and co-author of two professional legal texts.

Teen Auto Driving Safety Tips

As frightened as you may feel about letting your teen start driving, take advantage of this critical opportunity to teach your son or daughter the skills required for a lifetime of safe driving experiences. In addition to having your teen enroll in a professional driver’s education course, plan on remaining your teen’s primary instructor. Make time whenever possible to take your teen to empty school parking lots to practice various skills before moving on to nearby streets. Remain calm and help your teen develop the confidence required to make the many highly responsible, split-second decisions often required of most drivers.

Keep in mind that your children start learning to drive by watching you, even when they’re still very young. Act appropriately since they will surely imitate your driving habits once they get behind the wheel with a learner’s permit. Set a positive example by always being polite to other drivers. For example, when you pull up to a corner where there are four stop signs, let one or two other drivers go first. Never speed or try to run the majority of yellow lights you encounter.

Furthermore, never use your cell phone when the car engine is running. Make it clear that it’s only safe to use a cell phone when the driver is sitting in a parked car. Since actions really do speak louder than words, make sure you drive exactly the way you want your teen to drive when you’re not present. In addition to these basic driving practices, make sure you personally provide your teen with adequate information about each of the following driving tips.

Suggestions for Helping Your Teen Become a Safe Driver

• Have Them Start Out by Driving Alone (After the time has ended when an adult may be required by state law to be present in the car.) Passengers of any age (other than parents) can pose too great a distraction for many new drivers;
• Provide Definite Driving Curfews and Penalties for Breaking Them. Teens simply don’t need to be out driving late at night. Note that any curfew violations will result in the temporary or permanent cancellation of your teen’s driving privileges (depending on what exactly takes place during a given curfew violation for which there is no valid excuse);
• Always Stay up and Greet your Returning Teen Driver. Set an early curfew when your teen first starts driving alone. Stay up and greet your teen when he or she returns. Make sure there hasn’t been any drinking and driving. Any smell of alcohol on your teen’s breath should result in the immediate revocation of all driving privileges for an extended period of time. You might even want to insist on driving your teen to all school and social events until you’re convinced that he or she won’t repeat that behavior again;
• Provide a Safe Car that’s big enough to offer ample protection should your teen get involved in an accident – many teens experience “fender benders” or more during their early driving careers;
• No Music Initially. Advise your teen to avoid listening to any music during the first months when they start driving alone so they can stay completely focused on their driving;
• Require Some Level of Financial Responsibility. Have your teen contribute to the car’s upkeep or buy their own gas with their part-time job earnings. If they can afford to do so, have your teen also contribute to the cost of their car insurance. Teens required to shoulder such financial responsibilities at an early age are more likely to view driving as a privilege they should take seriously;
• Basic Skills Must Be Mastered First. Don’t forget to make sure your teen has learned how to drive at the proper speed, parallel park the car, use proper turn signals and give pedestrians the right of way. Emphasize the importance of leaving plenty of room for motorcyclists or regular bicyclists who may also be sharing the road. Also, personally remind your teen how to respond when a school bus stops in front of them or when they can hear an ambulance or fire truck approaching;
• Find Out Your Teen’s Weakest Skills Areas. Speak with your teen’s professional driving instructor to get a firsthand idea of your child’s poorest driving habits. Is she a risk taker? Does he often run yellow lights or follow other vehicles too closely? Plan to work with your teen on these problem skills areas. Remember, it’s never wise to introduce your teen to freeway driving or heavily congested traffic until you and the professional driving instructor agree that your teen’s driving skills warrant such training;
• Maps Should Be Studied Ahead of Time. If your teen believes a map will be needed to reach their destination, have them study it ahead of time, before getting behind the wheel of the car. Too many accidents occur when people are looking at a map and trying to decide where they should turn.
• Monitor Your Teen’s Driving. Consider following your teen on one or two occasions, without announcing this plan ahead of time. If you think it’s necessary, think about having a device installed in the car that will let you monitor your teen’s driving decisions, such as how fast they drive or how close they follow behind other vehicles. Let your teen know if you’re planning to install this type of device for added safety reasons. You might want to set a tentative date for removing the device, if your teen doesn’t have any accidents for an extended period of time. However, make it clear that you will re-install it on a permanent basis should your teen ever get involved in any accident.
• Make Sure Your Teen’s Car is Properly Maintained. Teach your teen the importance of regular car maintenance. Explain why tires should be inflated properly and why various hoses and car parts should be checked periodically. Be sure the spare tire is in good shape. Advise your teen to always keep a fully charged cell phone in their car so they can pull over and call for help when an emergency develops. Make sure your teen also carries your family’s emergency contact information, their driver’s license, proof of car insurance and car registration with them.
• Remind Your Teen that Driving is a Privilege, Not a Right. Go online with your teen and review the driving accident statistics reported by groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Let your teen know that though driving can be a wonderful convenience, it can prove deadly if not taken seriously at all times.

We hope these suggestions will help you properly train your teen to make the safest decisions possible while learning to drive.

California Personal Injury Attorneys

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

As we can read in Washington Post an 18-year-old man from California died on Tuesday after being struck and dragged by a bus in Woodbridge, Virginia, reported by police and a friend.

“Prince William County police said Jose Chavez of Shafter, Calif., was struck by a bus about 9:30 p.m. Monday while crossing the Gideon Drive and Dale Boulevard intersection. They said Chavez was trapped beneath the bus and dragged about 50 feet. Police said he died Tuesday at a hospital”

“A friend, reached in Shafter, said Chavez arrived in Northern Virginia about a week ago to visit relatives and look for a job.”

“The bus was said to be privately operated. The driver was identified as a Florida woman.”

Police in each jurisdiction said the matter is under investigation.

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

You may not need an attorney today, but if you or any person that you know would like to speak to a lawyer, just call our office at 1-888-870-4470.

Bunn is one of the leading manufacturers of coffee makers, and it produces machines of all shapes and sizes.  One popular item in its product line is the single cup brewing model, and unfortunately for thousands of consumers who use them, they may have been unwittingly at risk every time they turned the power on to brew a cup of coffee.  This was brought to light based on the announcement that Bunn is initiating a massive recall for these products.

According to Consumer Reports:

“Bunn has recalled 35,600 single-cup pod brewers because the drawer of the coffeemaker can open unexpectedly during a brew cycle, posing a burn hazard to consumers. The company has received 10 reports of the drawer opening inappropriately, including one report of minor burns.

The recall includes the  MCP (My Café Pourover) and MCA (My Café Automatic) models with the following serial numbers (located on the bottom):

• MCA: MCA0001000 through MCA0015807
• MCP: MCP0001000 through MCP0029895

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is advising consumers to stop using the recalled coffeemakers and contact Bunn to obtain two replacement pod drawers.”

Perhaps the most dangerous part of using a defective product is that no one suspects that it’s defective until it’s too late.  As a result, people are completely exposed to serious injuries given their inherent vulnerability.  If you or someone you love has been injured by a defective product, contact the Sacramento products liability attorneys at Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.  The firm has been representing clients successfully against negligent corporations for many years.