Leaf-Pile Safety Reminder: Keep Children Away and Never Park Over Dry Leaves
Seasonal safety advice warns about hidden children, collection equipment and hot vehicle exhausts near roadside leaf piles.
With fallen leaves collecting along neighborhood streets, parents and drivers are being reminded to keep children away from roadside piles and never park over dry leaves.
The Lakewood Scoop published the seasonal safety reminder Wednesday evening. The warning is about hazards around leaf piles, not a report of a new local accident.
A vehicle's exhaust system and catalytic converter can remain hot after the engine is turned off. Dry leaves underneath a parked vehicle can catch fire, so drivers should choose a clear parking space rather than stop on a pile, even briefly.
Children can be difficult for drivers to see when they hide, crouch or lie in leaves near the curb. Piles set out for collection also bring children close to trucks, vacuum equipment and other machinery.
Parents should explain these risks before children go outside. Any pile used for play should be well inside a yard, away from roadways, driveways and collection work, with adult supervision.
Drivers should slow down near leaf piles and collection crews, never assume a pile is empty, and check carefully before pulling into or backing out of a driveway or parking space.