Thread by @NBCNews

Lawn mower accidents are maiming children. A simple fix might have reduced the damage. nbcnews.to/2KaEzLq (1/8)

FairWarning has identified 133 cases of young children being severely injured by backovers of riding mowers since 2004.

8 of the children died, and others suffered amputations, as well as mangled internal organs. nbcnews.to/2KaEzLq (2/8)

Although human error is an obvious factor, another is a conscious choice by some mower manufacturers to design their machines so they can mow in reverse, despite mounting evidence that this jeopardizes small children, FairWarning found. nbcnews.to/2KaEzLq (3/8)

In almost every case, the operator of the mower is a parent or close family member, compounding the trauma of the accident. nbcnews.to/2KaEzLq (4/8)

“That night when we were in the hospital … I couldn’t sleep because when I closed my eyes, all I could see was his eyes looking into my eyes,” Ryan Manahl said of the day he backed over his 3-year-old son, Tate. nbcnews.to/2KaEzLq (5/8)

Isabelle Norton was 2 when her leg was amputated in a backover accident at her home.

As her father was backing up the mower, he saw his nephew waving frantically. By the time he realized what had happened, it was too late. nbcnews.to/2KaEzLq (6/8)

Manufacturers argue that accidents happen because of operator error.

“Industry has figured that blaming the user is a hell of a lot easier than spending the money to do it right,” said Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies Inc. nbcnews.to/2KaEzLq (7/8)

Engineer Richard Gill, who testified in Isabelle Norton’s case, noted that as far back as the 1960s, backovers were known to be a severe hazard.

“Here we are 50 some years later — nothing has changed,” he said. nbcnews.to/2KaEzLq (8/8) #NBCNewsThreads