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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

A STUDY OF THE FREQUENCY AND TYPE OF TRACTOR OVERTURNS ON NEBRASKA HIGHWAYS AND FARMS

TO DETERMINE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FARM TRACTOR OVERTURNS AND TO SUGGEST WAYS OF PREVENTING ACCIDENTS, DATA WERE COMPILED FROM 100 TRACTOR UPSETS IN NEBRASKA FROM JANUARY 1, 1966 TO JANUARY 1, 1969. OF THE 100 ACCIDENTS REPORTED DURING THIS TIME, 42 RESULTED IN A FATALITY, OF WHICH TWO WERE PASSENGERS. OF THE REMAINING 58 ACCIDENTS, 56 RESULTED IN INJURY TO THE OPERATOR. TWO ACCIDENTS RESULTED IN NO INJURIES. THE TWO UNINJURED PERSONS WERE DRIVING TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH CABS. DATA REVEALED THAT 34 PERCENT OF THE OVERTURNS INVOLVED OPERATORS UNDER 20 YEARS OF AGE COMPARED TO CENSUS FIGURES THAT NUMBER 24 PERCENT OF THE RURAL MALE POPULATION IN THIS CATEGORY. ALSO 26 PERCENT WERE BETWEEN 30-49 YEARS OLD COMPARED WITH CENSUS FIGURES OF 33 PERCENT. THIS INDICATES THAT YOUNGER TRACTOR OPERATORS MAY BE MORE ACCIDENT PRONE THAN OLDER ONES. FORTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF THE TRACTOR OPERATORS HAD LESS THAN A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION; 78 PERCENT WERE CONSIDERED EXPERIENCED OPERATORS, 17 PERCENT INEXPERIENCED. NINE TRACTORS WERE EQUIPPED WITH SOME TYPE OF PROTECTIVE DEVICE. THESE INCLUDED CABS, ROLL BARS, SEAT BELTS, OR LOADER WITH ROLL-OVER PROTECTION. NO FATALITIES WERE REPORTED WHEN ANY OF THESE DEVICES WERE BEING USED. SIXTY-SEVEN OF THE TRACTORS WERE TRICYCLE TYPES AND ALMOST ONE-HALF WERE LESS THAN 47 HORSEPOWER. IN 48 PERCENT OF THE CASES THE SPEED OF THE TRACTOR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE TRACTOR WAS BEING OPERATED AT 15 OR MORE MPH AT THE TIME 17 PERCENT OF THE ACCIDENTS OCCURRED. FORTY-TWO PERCENT OF THE ACCIDENTS OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY OR COUNTRY ROAD WHILE 34 PERCENT HAPPENED IN FIELDS OR PASTURES. THE LEADING CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENTS REPORTED IN THIS STUDY SEEMED TO BE IMPROPER OPERATION OF THE TRACTOR AND EQUIPMENT, WHICH INCLUDED EXCESSIVE SPEED, CHASING CATTLE, CARELESSNESS AND LOSING CONTROL OF THE TRACTOR. THIS OCCURRED IN 43.9 PERCENT OF THE ACCIDENTS. INEXPERIENCE AND OPERATING THE TRACTOR ON AN INCLINE ACCOUNTED FOR 21.3 PERCENT OF THE SUSPECTED CAUSES. /AUTHOR/

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • 25 Pp, 22 TAB
  • Corporate Authors:

    Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service

    ,    
  • Authors:
    • Schnieder, R
    • Florell, R J
  • Publication Date: 1969-2

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00220638
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Mar 15 1971 12:00AM