Three children, one adult dead in farm tractor crash in York County, PA.

[jjeff]

I enjoy introducing activities I partake in to my kids. A few years back my Mil wanted me to put a child safety seat on a ATV and snowmobile. I defended myself for not doing it by reasoning,
#1 if a terrible accident occurred it would be safer to get thrown from a 500 lb+ power sport vehicle without a roll cage than being secured to it and landing on top of you.
My 60" wide sxs with roll cage has a frame mounted bump seat in the middle with a 4 point harness for my youngest and all the kids always wear helmets.
#2 if the child is to young to secure themselves without moving around and safely ride on a ATV, tractor, or snowmobile don't take them.
#3 if your carrying younger passengers drive at slow reasonable speeds on flatter land being extra defensive, vigilant, and aware of your surroundings and passengers. Keeping in mind your not going to get as much stuff you'd normally get to or done riding solo.
Been taking my kids on tractors, lawn mowers, and power sports equipment for years, using common sense, its prevailed.
If cps shows up at my door I retract my statement.

 

[SmallChange]

It's not just erroneous repeated reporting of the same few cases. 9400 children per year are injured by lawnmowers:

Newsroom May 2020: Lawnmower Injuries Remain Prevalent for Children Despite Increased Awareness

www.aaos.org

Lawnmower Injuries in Children Are Limb-Threatening and Avoidable – Pediatrics Nationwide

Lawn Mower Safety

Thousands of children suffer severe injuries from lawn mowers every year. However, most of the injuries from lawn mowers can be prevented by following a few simple steps.

www.nationwidechildrens.org

Many have limbs amputated:

Lawn Mower Accidents Are the Main Cause of Amputations in Children in the U.S.

The most common cause of amputations on children in the U.S. is accidents with lawn mowers, showing the clear and present danger of the machinery.

www.motorbiscuit.com

Every year 75 people are killed by lawnmowers, and 20% of them are children. That's more than one per month.

Government Reminds Parents To Keep Children Away From Riding Lawnmowers

Government Reminds Parents To Keep Children Away From Riding Lawnmowers

www.cpsc.gov

Nobody has to read this thread. But, those of us who operate equipment would do well to imagine what the driver of the tractor in the York County accident, or the thousands of mower operators who injure or kill children each year, would give to be able to go back and do it differently.

Jeez, how hard is it to not carry little kids when mowing?

 

[masseyrider]

too many urban people look at large farm equipment like it's a carnival ride.
IT IS NOT!
We used to have people come to the parents farm for produce and often the first thing their kids would do is climb on a tractor.
Some people stopped coming when I admonished them.
Tractors are serious equipment. You don't know what the controls do, what the machine has been doing (pesticide application comes to mind) or just simply falling off. You don't want the kids hurt and I don't need the headache.
Would you take the kids to your place of employment and let them jump on a conveyor belt or play with a press or even touch the photo copier.
The farm is a factory with good scenery. Treat the machinery with the caution it deserves.

 

[K5lwq]

And according to Stanford Medical the following is reported. Bad things happen and care should be taken but CPS and jail time?

• Each year about 100 children are killed and 254,000 are injured as a result of bicycle-related accidents.

 

[jjeff]

It's not just erroneous repeated reporting of the same few cases. 9400 children per year are injured by lawnmowers:

Newsroom May 2020: Lawnmower Injuries Remain Prevalent for Children Despite Increased Awareness

www.aaos.org

Lawnmower Injuries in Children Are Limb-Threatening and Avoidable – Pediatrics Nationwide

Lawn Mower Safety

Thousands of children suffer severe injuries from lawn mowers every year. However, most of the injuries from lawn mowers can be prevented by following a few simple steps.

www.nationwidechildrens.org

Many have limbs amputated:

Lawn Mower Accidents Are the Main Cause of Amputations in Children in the U.S.

The most common cause of amputations on children in the U.S. is accidents with lawn mowers, showing the clear and present danger of the machinery.

www.motorbiscuit.com

Every year 75 people are killed by lawnmowers, and 20% of them are children. That's more than one per month.

Government Reminds Parents To Keep Children Away From Riding Lawnmowers

Government Reminds Parents To Keep Children Away From Riding Lawnmowers

www.cpsc.gov

Nobody has to read this thread. But, those of us who operate equipment would do well to imagine what the driver of the tractor in the York County accident, or the thousands of mower operators who injure or kill children each year, would give to be able to go back and do it differently.

Jeez, how hard is it to not carry little kids when mowing?

Well my first mowing enterprise job was using a safety device handicapped old 2stroke lawn boy. I have all my limbs and I was 10 when I was allowed to use it unsupervised. In depth constant reminders of safety are important however if the adult lacks knowledge or insight how can they teach a younger child proper safety and use of any equipment? There's risk to everything, Tragic freak accidents will happen however with some mentorship by someone who's knowledgeable can be greatly reduced or eliminated. Including not pushing equipment to it's limits when younger inexperienced children are involved. I'm off to get more bubble wrap.

 

[SmallChange]

In depth constant reminders of safety are important however if the adult lacks knowledge or insight how can they teach a younger child proper safety and use of any equipment?

Agreed. And that's the thing -- it kind of has to start with us. That's one of the things I like about Safety forum discussions. This is a great place for us to get knowledge and insight.

 

[turbo36]

And according to Stanford Medical the following is reported. Bad things happen and care should be taken but CPS and jail time?

• Each year about 100 children are killed and 254,000 are injured as a result of bicycle-related accidents.

You can teach a child to ride a bicycle carefully, there's no safe way to carry a child on a riding lawnmower. Riding a bicycle is one of the necessary means of transportation in many areas, especially for people without a drivers license. Driving a lawnmower is not.

 

[K5lwq]

You can teach a child to ride a bicycle carefully, there's no safe way to carry a child on a riding lawnmower. Riding a bicycle is one of the necessary means of transportation in many areas, especially for people without a drivers license. Driving a lawnmower is not.

No amount of training is 100% with anything. Accidents happen. The point was I do not think CPS should be involved in such a situation. Far more injuries on bikes than mowers or tractors.

 

[etpm]

No amount of training is 100% with anything. Accidents happen. The point was I do not think CPS should be involved in such a situation. Far more injuries on bikes than mowers or tractors.

Far more hours on bicycles for children than riding in the lap of someone operating a riding mower. So more bicycle accidents. But really, how likely is it for a limb to be cut off in a bicycle accident? Of course nothing is 100% safe, and of course accidents happen, even serious accidents. And even serious accidents when riding bicycles. But there is no way a person can accurately argue that bicycles are even close to being as dangerous as riding lawn mowers for children. If you want to argue that they are close to having the same danger to life and limb then I think you are not being sincere or are grossly mistaken.
Eric

 

[turbo36]

No amount of training is 100% with anything. Accidents happen. The point was I do not think CPS should be involved in such a situation. Far more injuries on bikes than mowers or tractors.

And the number of bike riders is dramatically more than mowers and tractors. You’re just trying to deflect.