Stuff You Should Know Short Stuff: Lawn Darts
May 27, 2020
Once a backyard staple, lawn darts transformed from beloved toys to symbols of danger. Discover the wild ride of their popularity in the 70s and 80s, peppered with stories of injury and caution. A father's emotional battle for justice after his daughter's tragedy shines a light on safety concerns. The hilarious fallout from their FDA ban in Reagan's America reveals the quirky culture surrounding these perilous projectiles. Dive into the nostalgia and danger of lawn darts, where fun and risk collided wildly.
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Lawn Darts: Weapons of War?
- Lawn darts are descended from the plumbata, a weapon used from ancient Greece to the Middle Ages.
- The lawn dart industry reintroduced these essentially as "sporting goods" after an initial ban.
The Snow Tragedy
- In 1987, an aerospace engineer bought a volleyball set that included lawn darts.
- His daughter tragically died after being hit in the head by one, prompting him to campaign for a ban.
Misleading Dart Statistics
- Initial injury data included all dart injuries, not just lawn darts.
- Focusing solely on lawn dart injuries revealed a much higher risk to children.