A safety standard helps to develop consensus on important design features. There are many ways to reduce the need to carry an extra rider. Advanced planning of work tasks, using safety management techniques to reduce hazards, alternative forms of transportation, and changing job assignments are some ways to reduce the need to carry an extra rider. Nevertheless, the practice of riding extra is likely to continue. Riding as a passenger does involve risk for a permanent or fatal injury, but the same can be said about office work, recreational activities, or even taking a shower.
Some risk is always present in nearly all daily activities.
To avoid injury is to minimize the chances that an unwanted incident will occur, or if it does, how to minimize its most serious consequences. For example, on tractors without trailing equipment, risk is lowered by riding at the rear of the tractor rather than on the rea wheel fender or rear axle. This reduces, but does not eliminate, the chance of being thrown under the tractor's wheels. The rest of this section addresses how to minimize the hazard and risk of carrying or being an extra rider. The training of new operators of tractors, combines, or other self-propelled machinery is one instance where an extra rider may be justified.