Across the country, county and state Farm Bureaus are making safety a priority through the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program (ASAP). As part of ASAP, the first full week of March has been designated as Agricultural Safety Awareness Week. This year’s theme was “Safety: Know Your Limits.”

Illinois Farm Bureau encourages farmers to leave their kids at home when working with tractors.

As a farming community, we must remember one seat means only one passenger. Tractors are responsible for 41% of the accidental farm deaths of children under 15, yet 4 out of 5 farm children regularly ride tractors with family members.

Making safety a priority on the farm can save both lives and resources by preventing accidents, injuries, and lost time.

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are also at fault for causing unnecessary deaths and injuries to kids. About 40,000 children under the age of 16 are treated in emergency rooms for ATV-related injuries each year.

Ag Safety

Ensure ATV safety with these simple, inexpensive tips:

  • Always wear a helmet and protective gear – 72% of children who died in an ATV-related crash weren’t wearing a helmet.
  • Select the right size ATV – 93% of child deaths occurred when children were riding an adult-sized ATV that was too large for them to handle
  • Never carry multiple riders – 45% of ATV-related child deaths involved multiple riders on a single ATV.
  • Keep ATV’s for off-road use only – 25% of child deaths on ATVs occurred on paved roads, many because of collisions with other vehicles
  • Inspect ATV before each ride – Here’s an inspection checklist.

Agricultural Safety Awareness Program is a part of the Farm Bureau Safety and Health Network of professionals who share an interest in identifying and decreasing safety and health risks. For more information, visit agsafetynow.fb.org.

COMMENTS

  • That makes sense that there are a lot more injuries that are caused by not wearing a helmet. I like the idea of keeping my family safe if we decide to go for an ATV ride, so that’s good to know. I’ll have to make sure that I get everyone a helmet as well if we decide to try that out.
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  • It made sense when you said that kids should be left safely at home before farmers begin any work with tractors. My brother and his wife are shopping for the equipment they need to start a small farm on their new rural land next spring, including an agricultural tractor. Since they have two young kids, I’ll pass along these tips for peace of mind about their safety! https://www.facklerco.com/search/inventory/usage/New/type/Commercial%20Generators/type/Agricultural%20Tractors

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