Henry
P. Cole Larry
R. Piercy
University of Kentucky
Instructor's
Guide and Activity Materials Table of Contents
ROPS & Seat Belts: Protection, Farmers' Perceptions, and Behavior
The second
set of graphics includes five pie charts. Three additional
charts also depict the number of 100 "Mr. Good Egg Farmers"
in Kentucky who are protected from tractor overturns by ROPS
and seat belts (6%), are partially protected by a ROPS but
who don't wear the seat belt (24%). and the large number of
farmers (76%) who are unprotected because they have no ROPS
or seat belts on their tractors. The first two pie charts
provide information about actual injury rates to Kentucky
farmers from tractors and tractor overturns and the percent
of farmers who are protected by ROPS and seat belts. The next
five pie charts are based on a February 1997 study of a large
random sample of farmers from four Kentucky counties. These
charts show how much farmers (1) thought about getting a ROPS
on their tractor(s) within the last year, (2) actually tried
to get a ROPS on one or more tractors, (3) how much protection
they believe a ROPS and seat belt provide the operator during
an overturn, (4) how often farmers who drive ROPS-equipped
tractors wear the seat belt, and how likely it is that the
farmer thinks he or she will overturn a tractor in his or
her lifetime. Studies of large samples of other farmers from
60 Kentucky counties found that 1 in 9 or 11% of farmers overturn
a tractor in their lifetime and survive, although many of
these farmers are injured, some severely, and some suffer
permanent disabilities. Many other farmers die from tractor
overturns as can be seen from the first pie chart in section.
This chart is based on examination of Kentucky death certificates
for an eleven this year period from 1982 to 1992. These pie
charts may be useful as discussion points with individuals
and groups following the Mr. Good Egg Farmer activity or as
part of other farm safety education programs. Farmers and
other farm community members are often not aware of the high
injury and fatality rates from tractor overturns and are usually
quite interested in the charts and the information they contain.
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