The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 85,000 people will be seriously hurt by a lawnmower this year. To understand the risk, you've got to realize the power involved.

Anyone who's used a power mower know that things sometimes shoot out - maybe a small rock or branch. But Don Root got the surprise of his life a few weeks ago when he was mowing the front lawn of his Bellevue home. A huge rock went flying across his lawn.

The home video Root took at the time shows that the rock flew about 50 feet to the driveway where his car was parked. That rock smashed through the passenger side window, continued on through the driver's side window, and went whizzing past his daughter's head. She was standing next to the neighbor's house, about 80 feet away!

Root says he's learned an important lesson from this near miss. "I will definitely keep me kids inside the house, the entire time I am mowing," he told me.

Six-year old Ethan Gallmeyer from Graham, Washington wasn't quite as lucky. A few weeks ago he was on a riding lawnmower with his grandfather. "I was on top of the lawnmower," he says, "and there was a turn and I slipped off that turn and the blade cut my foot straight open." Ethan says it hurt a lot.

Ethan's dad, Zachary Gallmeyer heard a scream and knew just what had happened. "His foot just looked like a banana, peeled open," Zachary told me.

Doctors at Harborview Medical Center needed to insert pins to put all of Ethan's broken bones back together again. He'll eventually need a skin graft.

"He was incredibly lucky," says Dr. Elinor Graham, a pediatrician at Harborview. "He didn't end up losing any toes or large parts of his feet," which is not always the case.

Pediatrician Elinor Graham says Ethan is one of 6 kids who have been treated for serious lawnmower accidents since May. She wants parents to realize that most amputations are caused by riding mowers.

Even if you turn off that lawnmower, with that blade moving at 3000 RPM, they are going just cut to mince meat anything that's under it.

Dr. Graham want parents to realize that a riding lawnmower "is an incredibly dangerous piece of equipment, even though its fun for the child to ride on it, it could results in a devastating injury."

Tips For Using Lawn And Garden Equipment
From the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

• Dress appropriately for the task. Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts (to avoid injuries from thrown objects like rocks or sticks), close-fitting clothes and no jewelry (to avoid getting anything caught in moving parts), sturdy shoes with slip-resistant rubber soles, eye protection, heavy gloves (protects hands when changing, sharpening, or cleaning blades), and hearing protection such as ear plugs when using motor-driven equipment.

• Before starting up machinery, remove objects from the area in which you are working that can cause injury or damage equipment, such as sticks, glass, metal, wire, and stones.

• Make sure that safety devices on the equipment are in place and functioning properly before starting work.

• Never let a child ride or operate a garden tractor or riding mower, even if the child is supervised. Teenagers should only be allowed to operate outdoor power equipment if they possess adequate strength and maturity to do so safely. They also should be supervised by a responsible adult.

• Keep children indoors and supervised at all times when any outdoor power equipment is being used. Young children move quickly and are attracted to mowers and mowing activity, especially if they have been given rides on mowers before.

• Never assume children will remain where you last saw them. Be alert and turn off the mower if children enter the mowing area. Use extra care when backing up or when approaching corners, shrubs, and trees.

• Unplug electric tools and disconnect spark plug wires on gasoline-powered tools before making adjustments or clearing jams near moving parts. Be sure power tools are turned off and made inoperable if they must be left unattended to prevent use by children.

• Handle gas carefully. Never fill gasoline tanks while machinery is on or when equipment is still hot. Wipe up spills. Store gas in an approved container away from the house. Finally, never smoke or use any type of flame around gasoline or any gasoline-powered equipment.

• Never work with electric power tools in wet or damp conditions. For protection against electrocution, use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). GFCIs come in several models, including a portable plug-in type.

• Be sure that extension cords are in good condition, are rated for outdoor use, and are the proper gauge for the electrical current capacity of the tool.

For More Information:

Thousands Injured by Lawnmowers Every Year

Most Dangerous Month for Kids and Lawn Mowers

Keep Your Kid Out of the ER This Summer