They are completely preventable. Maher notes that there are no safe facilities for toddlers in a tractor cab. Other tractors and combines don't have additional seating, and sitting in dad's lap isn't going to work for very long. There simply isn't a safe place for an active youngster in the cab. Toddlers find it difficult to sit still for very long and tractor or combine drivers don't have the time to watch over toddlers while driving a tractor, Maher says.
Supervision gets to be a real problem, for everyone.
In most tragic situations, the youngster has been riding along for an hour or two when a tense moment develops for the driver. As his attention is diverted to what he is doing with the machinery, the youngster plays with the cab door. When it unexpectedly opens, the child falls from the cab and is run over. These accidents happen in a split second and don't allow time for the driver to react, Maher notes. Toddlers move too fast to watch while driving a tractor or combine.