Abstract

A 63-year-old farmer was fatally injured after being struck by a truck while transporting hay to his farm. After loading five round bales of hay onto a flat bed wagon the victim drove his tractor down a public roadway to transfer the hay to another pasture for winter storage. The wagon and tractor did not have Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblems, Roll Over Protective Structures (ROPS) or a seat belt. After driving down a highway about one quarter of a mile, a two-ton log truck struck the back of his flat bed wagon. The tractor rolled over and the victim suffered massive skull injuries when he was thrown from the tractor. A witness who was traveling by car in the opposite direction called 911 to summon help. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner. In order to prevent future fatalities of this type, the FACE investigator recommends:

  • Tractors should be retro-fitted with ROPS and a seat belt.
  • All equipment should be clearly marked with a Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblem while driving on public roadways.
  • Transportation of harvest products on public roadways should be followed by a trailing unit to warn drivers.

Document Type

Report

Release Date

10-26-1994

Incident Number

94KY111

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