In Australia, more people are killed or injured in tractor accidents than with any other piece of rural machinery, with tractors accounting for almost nine out of ten accidental farm deaths. One of every four deaths involves a young person under the age of sixteen.
Research shows that many farmers are over-familiar with tractors and tend to ignore the dangers.
One in every five tractor deaths in Australia has been as a result of the operator falling or climbing off a moving tractor and being run over by the tractor or towed machinery. Serious accidents can occur when a tractor rolls sideways or back-flips, crushing the operator beneath it, or against a tree or farm structure. Today's tractors are shining examples of modern technology and design. They're also great examples of how far we've come with making safety a key part of doing business. Only on tractors that weigh less than 800 kg or more than 15000 kg is the requirement not mandatory.