tractor accident

[papavillars]

Here is the story. I was sitting in the doctors office with my dad who had fallen and had broken two vertebrate in his back when my cell phone rang. of course there is the sign that says TURN CELL PHONES OFF . I quickly step outside to answer. It is my nephew who is at my farm . I can hear him but cannot understand what he is saying.It sounded like something and tractor. So I step to the outside and told him to say it again. Uncle Bill I turned the tractor over. You can imagine all the thoughts going thru my mind. I will kill him, how is my tractor and how the hell did you do that. Then I thought oh my gosh are you hurt? He said he was bruised on his arm but okay. Luckily he had fastened the seat belt and it and the rops kept him in the seat. He wanted what he should do now. He said it was laying on its side in the bar ditch. I thought oh well I will call a wrecker and see if they can stand it back up. There is a neighbor who lives up the hill who I depend on frequently. I called him and asked him if he would go and check on my twenty year old knucklehead nephew. In the mean time the doctor informs me Dad is going to have to have major surgery on his spine. Well Leonard, my neighbor ,called me and said Will was fine and he could use his backhoe and upright my tractor. All is well with the tractor and my nephew. My question is " do you use the seat belt on your tractor?

 

[dun]

My question is " do you use the seat belt on your tractor?

Nope

 

[pdfangus]

My old Ford 3610 barely has a seat much less a seat belt.

Nope no roll bar either.

but if I am dumb enough to turn it over at my age, then I need to be mashed.

 

[novaman]

My old 2440 JD doesn't have a seat belt, ROPS, or anything else to help me in that sort of situation. Yeah it's dangerous but so is everything else on the farm.

 

[upfrombottom]

I have been unfortunate enough to turn a tractor over twice. Once when I was 19, I was discing a barrow pit to dry the dirt out so I could pick it up with a dirt pan. I was on an old Oliver tractor that barely had a seat, pulling a 12 ft. disc. The guy I worked for had took a trackhoe and dug a sump hole in the corner of the pit for rain water. He dug the hole with the sides straight down. It had rained for about three days and the hole had filled with water. The ground had a layer of sand about 5ft down and when the pit filled with water it undermined. I was about 15 ft. from the hole when the bank caved off and pulled the tractor in. It turned upside down with me under it. It didn't have a roll-bar and the only thing that kept it from crushing me was the tongue on the disc had sheared off and was stuck in the bank holding the tractor about 8 inches off the ground. When you here people say your hole life passes in front of you I know exactly what they are saying.

The second time was two years ago, I was filling in a wash with my small tractor and a box blade. I had a guy bring me a couple loads of dirt and I was nearly finished spreading it. It was on the side of a hill and the blade had pulled up a big clod of dry dirt. I didn't see it and when I went to back up, I backed over the clod and the tractor stood up on two wheels. I didn't have the seat belt on and bailed off in a dead run down hill. I took three steps and covered 40ft. , when I tried to stop I landed face first into the ground. I turned around and looked back just in time to see the tractor layover almost in slow motion.

 

[papavillars]

when i was a kid i used a jd2040 and no seat belt and never even considered one. When I bought my Kubota it came with a seat belt and thought what the hell. I told everone that they had to use it or stay off the tractor. The year before I had a friend another fellow firefighter, roll off the side of his loading ramps and the tractor crushed him. It did have a rops and belt but he was thrown off and the tractor pinned him underneath. He was found a couple of hours later by his small son. I have heard they are of no use, a pain in the butt, and cause more problems than they are worth. just my opinion but wear em if you have em.

 

[F350]

After several near misses and my wife's constant reminders. I wear my seatbelt on the tractor.

 

[A.J.]

Mostly just when I'm mowing hay or bush hogging. A boy I went to high school with's dad was mowing hay and got thrown off his tractor and the tractor and mower both ran over him. That just really stuck in my mind, so I always make sure to wear it when I'm mowing. I know I should wear it more than I do. I reckon it's a lot like wearin one in the truck, a lot of it is gettin in the habit of using it.

 

[Wewild]

We never had a seat belt or ROP until 2 years ago. I still don't wear them but don't feel as secure in the 5525 or 5520 as I did on the older early 70's JDs on slopes. There is a reason for that feeling. I know of several folks that have laid tractors over. One is no longer with us and I was there when his mother heard the news.

Good post. I will modify my actions.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Never put one over but very close. Was cleaning an old manure dumping area and came upon a huge rock.

I was working downhill and on a sideways grade. Put the lip of the bucket under the rock and gave a bit of a shove and some lift on the boom. Before I knew it my rear wheels and one front wheel were off the ground and the only thing that saved me was immediatley taking the boom pressure off.

A man I respected as my flight instructor had just started his retirement from aviation, was hauling a load of firewood downhill. The load of wood was too much for the little tractor and flipped it over on my friend. Retirement was cut short, and this is a guy that lived and breathed safety.

 

[Caustic Burno]

There is not a level piece of ground here, the newer tractors are short coupled and more dangerous for tipping or rolling. If you go down to La Porte, Tx on the Houston ship channel you can see every brand being unloaded. All come in crates that will fit in shipping containers no matter the side. I stood one on its nose twice that is why the tractor is no longer with me, it was replaced with a New Holland TT series which has a longer wheel base.
This is still not as long a wheel base as my old Massey.

It all comes down the tractor manufactures have sacrificed safety to cut shipping cost. All of these tractors are much shorter and rougher than previous year models. This comes as they are being made all over the world and are shipped here.

 

[hayray]

I have bigger machines with cabs and when I am on the road I do use the seat belts, mainly because I see the chance of getting thrown into the window from a auto accident.

 

[ryan_289]

I turned an old JD 2010 tricycle tractor over on its side several years ago. Had a bale of hay on the front end loader and hit well curb with my back tire. Layed over real slow. It had a roll bar but no seat belt. I hit the ground running as it was coming over. My friend in the hay truck behind me said the canopy missed my legs by inches. I use a seat belt on our other tractors anytime im running equipment. If im just driving it around i usually dont. (I know I should.)

 

[Cowdirt]

Just to clarify the recommendations for the use of seat belts; it is advised to only use seat belts if your tractor has rops or a cab.

 

[Chi496]

Do Pulling Tractors count? If so I have been on my lid once and on my side once, I ended up on my lid when I slipped off the trailer ramps after a rain out and on my side after the rear carrier broke. BTW we were required 5 point harnesses and roll cages. When I was in High School I lost a friend to a tractor accident he flipped a Super A whlie plowing tobaacco. After that Ive been on a soap box about ROPS and Seat belts. A seat belt with out rops will cause more harm than good but used in conjuction with ROPS it's a life saver.

 

[SaddleSore]

Folks, I'm as guilty of not using a seat belt with ROPS as anyone, but know I should. A couple of years ago my second cousin was pinned between the fender and ground after flipping a tractor just a couple of weeks after graduating high school. It's been a long recovery, but thank God above he's alive. Here's an interview Ky Farm Bureau did with him, www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFKOdQ9JiBg

 

[SaddleSore]

Here's a story the Lexington Herald-Leader did, www.kentucky.com/181/story/782987.html