TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1998//
TI  - Farm and tractor-related fatalities in children in South Australia
JO  - Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
A1  - Byard, Roger W.
A1  - Gilbert, Jaimes
A1  - Lipsett, J.
A1  - James, Rosemary
SP  - 139
EP  - 141
VL  - 34
IS  - 2
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To analyse the circumstances surrounding farm and tractor-related childhood fatalities in South Australia, to identify potentially dangerous situations and to delineate prevention strategies. METHODS: A retrospective search of files was conducted at the Women's and Children's Hospital Department of Histopathology from 1981 to 1996, and the State Coroner's Office from 1988 to 1996. RESULTS: Fifteen fatalities were identified comprising 11 boys and four girls (age range, 2 years 11 months to 13 years; average, 6 years). Activities prior to death included riding on a tractor/trailer (n=8); playing near a field grain storage bin (n=2); playing near machinery (n=2); sleeping in a car near a burn off (n=1); walking around a dam (n=1) and riding as a passenger on a motorbike (n=1). Causes of death included multiple skull fractures and cerebral damage (n=11), asphyxia (n=2), drowning (n=1) and incineration (n=1). CONCLUSIONS: The most dangerous activity involved children riding unrestrained on tractors; falls resulted in extensive injuries from tractor rear wheels or towed machinery. Allowing children on farms to ride on tractors or machinery only if there is a safe seat with a restraining harness would substantially reduce the number of fatal farm-related childhood injuries in South Australia.
LA  - 
SN  - 1034-4810
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -