Raking leaves into the street can cause potential dangers

With fall approaching, giant piles of leaves are left on the side of streets.

Jumping and playing in those piles of leaves are a common past-time for children, but cities around the Miami Valley want to remind the public how dangerous it can be.

Avoid raking leaves into the streets because leaves spread more easily by cars driving by, they wash away in the storm sewers, and they pose dangerous scenarios for children playing in leaf piles. Also, tell your children, grandchildren, and neighbors not to play in the leaves near the street and to use extreme caution when driving through neighborhoods.

News Center 7's Sean Cudahy was in Kettering Monday night talking with Stacy Schweikhart who works for the city of Kettering. She says almost everyone makes the mistake of leaving leaves in the street.

“Rake your leaves to the edge of your yard near the curb, this is really important, and it’s a point of confusion… not in the street,” she said.

The picture above was taken in Indiana by a UPS delivery driver in a residential neighborhood. The child was safe but could have been hurt.

“You cannot see that child in those leaves,” said Schweikhart. “An innocent child playing in leaves, it could turn into a tragedy really quickly.”