33 DEATHS IN TRACTOR ACCIDENTS LAST YEAR

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28700, 25 September 1958, Page 11

33 DEATHS IN TRACTOR ACCIDENTS LAST YEAR

Farm tractors claimed 33 victims in 1957, the highest figure ever recorded in New Zealand, and in the first four months of this year there have already been another nine fatal accidents, f icc the beginning of 1949 there have been 178 fatal tractor accidents in Ne n Zealand.

Last year’s total of 33 is significant, quite apart from being a record. Since 1952, when the next highest total of tractor deaths (25) was recorded, the rate for 100.000 tractors had shown an over-all decline until last year, when it jumped alarmingly from 26 in 1956 to 46.5 in 1957. Twenty years ago the rate was only 10.4. There is no doubt that the vast majority of fatal accidents are caused by some human failing, says the information service of the National Safety Association of New Zealand. Some drivers have deliberately taken risks and lost their lives. Some have died because they ignored instructions or because they disobeyed the known safety rules. The present high fatal accident rate can be reduced markedly if operators become more safety conscious and obey three axioms—don’t attempt risky work; keep alert at all times; bale out and let the tractor go. In short, drive the sound, safe, commonsense way.

An analysis of the 169 fatal accidents which have occurred in the last nine years shows that 128 of the tractors involved were wheeled vehicles and 41 of them were crawlers. That one-quarter of the deaths were caused by crawlers indicates the fallacy of the popularly-held view that* such machines are safe on hill country. It must now be recognised that they are no safer in their range of hill country than are wheeled tractors on lesser grades. Causes Analysed

Of the 128 deaths which occurred with wheeled tractors in the last nine years,* by far the largest proportion of them were caused when the tractor rolled over sideways. Seventy-five operators were killed in these circumstances. Eleven tractors ran over the driver, or a child. 10 somersaulted backwards, eight somersaulted forwards, five unseated their drivers, five crushed the operator and in five cases the driver fell off the tractor.

The circumstances relating to crawler tractor deaths were similar. Of the 41 fatalities, 24 were caused when the tractor rolled over sideways, eight somersaulted either backwards or forwards, five unseated the driver and three ran over him. Over half the tractor deaths in New Zealand occur in the five months from October to February, the month with the highest number of fatal accidents being January, followed closely by April and October. Men in the prime of life, between the ages of 21 and 40, are the greatest sufferers in fatal tractor accidents. Of the 169 deaths in the last nine years, 84 of them have been in this age group.

Nineteen children under 15 have been killed in tractor accidents since 1949. The practice of allowing children to ride on tractors is widespread in New Zealand and it is interesting to note that regulations are being introduced in Britain this year (beginning on July 1) making it an offence to allow children under 13 to ride on tractors and most other power-driven vehicles.