In the summer it smelled like grass clippings and sprinkler mist. This season has a certain rhythm. You are reading a book under the shade of a tree. Avoid flying plastic rings. Then I heard a scream. Usually from a kid who gets hit in the foot by a dart in a random game of lawn darts.
If you were born after 1988, you may have never touched the original version. The US banned them that year. For beginners and youngsters, lawn darts are exactly what the name suggests. Throw a weighted stick into a big ring on the grass. Closer to the center means more points. Locking the rim is the ultimate victory. They have the same DNA as horseshoes. Bocce ball. A traditional game of darts. The stakes are even higher.
You might think it’s reckless to throw a metal-tipped missile into your garden. You are right. These are no ordinary darts. It’s almost a foot long. The tip is heavy. The 1988 CPSC ban was not a bureaucratic whim. This is the answer to the tragedy. Three children died from lawn cone injuries. Between 1978 and 1986, 6,100 patients related to these games visited the emergency clinic. To put this in perspective, the number of emergency room visits for heat-related illnesses such as dehydration and heatstroke is about the same every year across the United States. The safety record is terrible.
But the desire for backyard racing hasn’t gone away. People still like to throw things at targets. Companies are also paying attention. They offer an alternative. A game that does not damage the lawn. The game doesn’t end in blood.
为什么草坪飞镖被禁止
核心问题不仅仅是游戏机制。 这是工程。 最初的飞镖被设计成刺入地面。 为此，他们需要在尖端增加重量。 而且这个重量必须是致密的。 常为金属。 有时钝到足以刺破皮肤。 有时很尖锐。
美国消费品安全委员会的数据不会说谎。 八年内受伤六千人。 三人死亡。 平均每两年就有一人死亡。 每 10 天就看一次急诊室。 这种风险并不是理论上的。 这是可以衡量的。 对于一个玩具来说这是不可接受的。
现代草坪飞镖如何消除危险
解决方案不是杀死游戏。 这是为了重新设计弹丸。 今天的草坪飞镖使用塑料尖。 或者橡胶。 或加重泡沫。 目标是一样的。 扎入地下。 得分。 但物理学已经改变了。 没有锋利的边缘。 没有重金属核心。
制造商还调整了设计。 较短的轴。 重量更轻。 颜色更明亮，可见度更高。 这些不仅仅是审美选择。 它们是安全功能。 较亮的飞镖更容易被发现。 如果飞镖击中某人，较短的飞镖的动能较小。 塑料尖端会弹跳或滚动。 它不会刺穿。
Which lawn dart game is safe and fun?
Not all latest versions are the same. Some companies invest in sustainability. Other accuracy information. But the common denominator is safety compliance. Look for games that clearly state that they meet CPSC standards. Check the tip material. plastic or rubber
Skipping indoor board games doesn’t mean submitting to a summer of boredom. You can experience the same adrenaline rush as watching an arrow hit a pole ten without having to go to the emergency room.
Here are safer outdoor options.
The riskiest options with minor injuries
Horseshoes fit into this category. The objective is similar to lawn darts: you throw heavy metal rings so that they wrap around a stake stuck in the ground. There are no sharp needles here. But wearing the wrong shoes still hurts.
Safer lawn darts
Entrepreneurs have modified the lawn dart to create safer versions. Jars are a popular option in many toy stores. The weighted tip is rounded instead of sharp. It descends and stops. A newer darter jumps. You get a lawn dart without the bloodshed.
However, it can still happen that a heavy object is thrown on your head.
Low-risk lawn games
The carpal tunnel is the biggest risk when you play too much. Boccia means rolling small balls near an object. You only hurt someone if you try to hit them. In croquet, the ball is hit through the baskets with a bat. It can cause boredom. Kubb is popular in Sweden. This means knocking down pieces of wood with sticks.
Play safe.
