Mechanical Engineering Experts Opine on Unsafe Riding Mower Design

Case Overview

This case involves an accident in which a young child was run over by a ride on lawnmower. The 4 year old girl had been playing in the backyard of her parents’ home at the time of the accident, while her father was mowing the lawn on a popular brand of ride-on lawnmower. The model of tractor that the father was riding had a reverse mechanism that allowed the blades to continue to run even while the mower was operated in reverse. At the time of the accident, the victim’s father was backing up the lawnmower in order to navigate around a stump in the lawn. The child was behind the lawnmower when her father backed over her with the mower blades still spinning, causing significant, life-altering injuries.

Questions to the Accident Reconstruction expert and their responses

Do you have experience designing, testing, and manufacturing lawn mowers similar to the one described in this case?

I have consulting experience related to the design of riding lawn mowers.

Are you familiar and/or have you dealt specifically with this brand of tractor?

I have used this brand of mower frequently and am very familiar with them and their reputation in the market.

Should lawn mowers be equipped with safety mechanisms in order to prevent this kind of accident from occurring?

While there are no specific regulations that I am aware of for safety equipment related to this case, it does not mean that manufacturers should not include reasonable and obvious improvements for safety. This could include back up warning lights or sounds, rear view mirrors, or blade disengagement mechanisms to prevent the blades from turning while the tractor is backed up. I am familiar with ANSI and EVAP standards and regulations as they relate to outdoor power equipment, and I have also provided engineering direction on product design for several manufacturers.

About the expert

This expert is a registered professional engineer with extensive experience in the mechanical and automotive fields. He regularly performs engineering investigations and failure analysis from a mechanical engineering perspective. Projects have involved design analysis, product liability, IP, manufacturing, accident investigation and reconstruction, and component testing. He received his Masters degree in Engineering Sciences from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and belongs to a number of prestigious societies in the engineering space.

E-007975

Specialties:

Accident Reconstruction