DashJ

6 / 10

Don’t Leave the Keys in Your Mower

It seems obvious, but leaving the keys in your lawn mower, if it has a key start, is asking for trouble. For one, what kid doesn’t love to sit on a mower and pretend they’re driving it, but if you leave the key in there, they might actually do just that.

A lawn mower sitting in the driveway with the key in the ignition is also an attractive target for thieves.

7 / 10

Remove the Spark Plug Before Working on the Blade

It sounds goofy, but always remove the lawn mower spark plug when working on the blade. If the piston happens to be at the top of the compression stroke, a little bump to the blade might force the piston over the “hump” and into the power stroke. This could cause the blade to lurch forward, possibly whacking your hand in the process!

8 / 10

Mind the Hills

Most riding lawn mowers are more likely to tip over sideways than forward or back, so mow up and down the hill. Mow hills side to side with push mowers. That way, if you do slip, you won’t fall toward the mower or have the mower roll back at you. Also, mowing wet grass on hills increases your chance of having an accident no matter which type of machine you’re using.

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