When children are on your property, you may notice that they can struggle to stay away from dangerous areas and pieces of equipment. This attraction makes them interested in climbing or exploring these places, but also poses a threat to their safety.
Learning about what an attractive nuisance is and how people define it can help you deal with personal injuries on your land.
Swimming pools
According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, pools are one of the most well-known nuisances that can attract curious children. Whether you cover them or not, children who trespass can easily run or trip and fall into the water. Many people choose to have fences around their pool to prevent this issue.
Having warnings or signs near the pool area is one way to help prevent an injury. You should also take steps to prevent accidental drowning, such as putting a tarp over the water. Since drowning happens so quickly, children are especially at risk if no one is around to pull them out of a large pool.
Loose machinery
If your property contains unsafe equipment, you should take steps to make sure children cannot climb or play on it. You are responsible for taking sensible and realistic precautions to prevent children from danger while around items on your property.
Farms and construction zones with large trucks and equipment on your land are two kinds of areas that typically fall under attractive nuisance law. Since most laws regarding these dangers are vague on purpose, you should look at each situation and make the best decision possible to protect children on your property.