4 year old tractor passenger killed

[Lightnsound]

What does eating and choking have to do with an adult choosing to take their kids along for a ride on the tractor? Just imagine the number of fatalities and injuries if the numbers of kids who accompanied their father on the tractor equaled the numbers of those riding in cars or number of meals eaten. These types of comparisons are idiotic.

My point, Jay, is that everything is dangerous. To have hard and fast rules about never letting a kid on a tractor doesn't make sense to me. I give my daughter rides on the tractor regularly. A ride is a ride only. No mowing or any other work done during a ride. No travel on uneven terrain during a ride. We drive slowly and pay attention to what we are doing. She knows the rules and sits still and just enjoys watching the trees go by. This is how she will learn about the tractor. This is how she learns to respect the machine. There is far less of a chance of her sneaking on it someday in the future because she is curious and I have not let her near the machine.

The point is that there is a better chance of her choking on a meal or falling down a flight of steps than getting hurt on a 4 mph ride across the lawn while we are careful about what we are doing. Kids in cars are protected by child seats surrounded by the steel cage of the vehicle. Imagine if people didn't text, and carry on cell phone conversations, and argue with their spouses, and eat fast food, and drink coffee, and all the other things that distract them while they drive. Then there would be far fewer automotive collisions and the safety devices would not have to do their jobs as often.

Imagine if people payed as much attention to their driving on their daily commute as I pay to driving my daughter around on the tractor.

Call me an idiot if you want, but calling me names says more about you than it does about me.

 

[Jaylegger]

Call me an idiot if you want, but calling me names says more about you than it does about me.

Wasn't my intent to call you an idiot, bad choice of words, sorry. But comparing children choking on food or the numbers killed in cars without looking at and discussing the population of those involved in those activities is senseless. That's like arguing since only 1 out of a total 6 kids died playing Russian roulette it is inherently a safe activity because more kids die in car accidents.

 

[RoyJackson]

I read the other day about a poor child who choked on his dinner. That's why I will never feed my daughter again. Much safer that way. She says she's thirsty but I'm afraid she might drown in a cup of water.

You cannot make a choice about your child eating and drinking. You can make an informed choice about your child riding on a tractor with you...

 

[Lightnsound]

You cannot make a choice about your child eating and drinking. You can make an informed choice about your child riding on a tractor with you...

I agree. I'll add that these choices don't need to be black and white.

Of course I feed my kid. I also sit and eat with her so if she did choke I'd be right there to hopefully clear the obstruction.

 

[Qapla]

I can't imagine have youngsters anywhere near working machinery. To be very bunt, it is irrisponsible...

The post said nothing about a tractor, second seats or anything farm related. It only said that "Machinery" should be avoided by children - that is a VAST statement.

I did not say that I agree with a child riding on a tractor pulling a running bush hog. However, I also cannot condemn Lighsound for giving his kid a ride on the tractor.

I do agree that if people were more conscious about what they were doing we would not need nearly as many rules and devices to "ensure" safety.

Like he said, if more people paid attention to their driving, there would be way less accidents. That alone would lower the death rate of car accidents.

Likewise, if more people used better common sense with their tractors, we would not need so many safety devices and rules.

After all, at what age is a child no longer a child. While we all agree that a 4 year old is a bit young for bush hogging. But, what age is OK? 10 - 15 - 18 - 21 No matter the age, they are still someones child.

 

[The Haymaker]

Many years ago, someone I know, backed up a lawn tractor not realizing a small child she was keeping an eye on, had run behind her. The child was trying to catch up to her, perhaps to get a ride. The end of the child's' foot went under the mowing deck as the woman backed over her.

The story did not have as tragic an out come as this one. But, the child spent a lot of time in the hospital, and lost some of her foot.

Though riding in someones lap did not directly cause this accident. It can easily cause a child to associate such dangers as time to have fun, rather than a time to be cautious, and stay clear.

Or do two things. Teach your child to always approach from the side and make eye contact (my four year old does) AND watch where you are going.... Huh... that was a toughie....

 

[Grrrr]

I have probably spent 2 to 3 thousand hours of my life sat riding 'shotgun' whilst I was growing up (less than 6 or 7). Every weekend, when I wasn't doing something else and family were working, I would spend the day on the tractor.

Admittantly the tractors did normally have proper passenger seats and cabs, but I'd normally sit on the floor with my back leaning against the windscreen because I could have a sleep that way

From about 7 or 8 I have been driving, to begin with swapping with dad (he was relegated to passenger seat), then progressing to driving on my own.

By about 13 I was regularly going out and doing jobs, mowing hay, pulling trailers, turning hay etc. I would be helped to get ready and checked up on every hour or so, people were never far away.

By 14 I was doing anythign that needed doing, many fond childhood memories baling hay and working the harvest. I was never interested in playing with a football or an Xbox.

This same story rings true for many thousands of farming families, and I'd be willing to bet they are also some of the most hard working, practical and able people out there.



As for some of the tractor dangers mentioned in this thread, some of them are just unavoidable.

Switching the engine off every time you get out of the tractor? I don't think so. Some days we are in and out of the tractors like a jack in the box, especially feeding up or fencing. And many jobs require the tractor to be running on a stationary task, or when you are operating balers or the like and it takes a while to spool it down and spool it up again.

Never seen a mechanic riding on the back of a big square baler watching the knotters?

And some tractors take half an hour to get back up to full power after cooling down. Don't fancy doing that every time I stop for a drink. And after working hard, big tractor need 20 minutes or so to cool down before you can shut them off. We have one tractor that literally doesn't shut off. You can switch it off and pull the key out, but it won't shut down until it is happy it is cool enough. There is a panic button though.

Seat belts in tractors? Can't say I have ever actually seen anyone wearing one - manufacturers fit them because they have to, not because people want them, and as a result they are so cheap and inadequate they are almost impossible to use.