These areas are prone to rollovers. The ground can give way, the tractor will lose support and roll over. When conditions require operation on steep slopes, always head down slopes and travel backwards up slopes. This will place the tractor in a more stable position and reduce rollover risks. Hitch only to a drawbar.
Many accidents occur when loads are hitched to the axle housing or other parts of the tractor.
If you attach implements to something higher than a drawbar, you can cause the tractor to roll over. In 1985, tractor manufacturers adopted a voluntary standard to sell all tractors with ROPS in place. The ROPS may be part of the cab structure and may not be visible, but the protec-tion will be there. Tractors made more than 40 years ago without advances in safety technology are operational today. Older tractors often are used in situations typically associated with tractor rollover accidents, such as mowing the road ditch area, using a front-end loader, and hauling fallen trees.