CHILDREN KILLED IN TRACTOR ACCIDENTS IN DENMARK, 1973-1977

A retrospective study was conducted to determine the number of children killed in (agricultural) tractor accidents (TA's) in Denmark from 1973 to 1977. The TA was defined as a motor vehicle accident where a tractor in motion was directly involved in the accident. Of 583 death certificates examined for children up to 14 years of age, 32 were killed in TA's. The following categories were included in analysis: accidents where a child was killed by a driving tractor, its trailer, or mounted implement; accidents where a child passenger was killed on a moving tractor or on its trailer in collision with another driving motor vehicle; and accidents on and off a public road. For the 32 fatalities, 69% were boys and 31% were girls. The involvement of farmers' children in accidents was high, and the demonstrated accumulation of TA's during the summer corresponded with the level of agricultural activities. All TA's occurred during the day, with two-thirds in the afternoon. The majority of tractors were being used for work processes at the time of the accident, and most fatalities occurred in single-vehicle accidents. Approximately 70% of TA's took place off a public road. Prior approval or acceptance by parents had been given to 81% of the children killed in TA's. Fatal lesions in TA's were clearly related to violent traumatic influences; 84% of children died instantaneously or as an immediate result of the accident. Tractor accident prevention is briefly discussed.

  • Availability:
  • Corporate Authors:

    International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine

    Huddinge University Hospital Center, Traffic Medicine Center
    Stockholm,   Sweden  141 86
  • Authors:
    • Grand, F J
  • Publication Date: 1980-3

Media Info

  • Features: References;
  • Pagination: p. 2-6
  • Serial:
    • Journal of traffic medicine
    • Volume: 8
    • Issue Number: 1
    • Publisher: International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine
    • ISSN: 0345-5564

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00386654
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  • Report/Paper Numbers: HS-029 208
  • Files: HSL, USDOT
  • Created Date: Jun 28 1984 12:00AM