RIDING SMARTATV AND UTV SAFETY ON THE FARM

Learning Objectives

Today’s session will cover ATV & UTV:

• Characteristics• Uses• Safety gear • Safe operation• Farm usage• Hazards on the farm

Uses of ATV & UTV on the Farm

• Hauling feed, straw, mulch, etc. • Pulling wagons• Apply pesticides• Mowing• Snow removal • Herding livestock• Fence repair

Fatalities & Injuries

• From 1982- 2011, 11,688 ATV related fatalities

• 327 in 2011• 590 in 2010• 684 in 2009

• 2,865 ATV related fatalities of children younger than 16 years of age.

• 25% of total

• In 2011 est. 107,500 ATV related emergency department- treated injuries

• 27% children under 16

• UTV- Between January 2003 and September 2010,169 fatalities and 299 injuries

Characteristics of ATV

• Handlebars• 4 wheels• Low pressure tires• One seat

– Straddle the seat

• No passengers

Other Characteristics of ATVs

Drive lines: • Drive mechanisms vary greatly. • Several combinations of clutches, drive shafts, and differential

locks • Higher speeds and sharp turns can increase the risk of side

overturns if the drive wheels are locked together for tractionPower and Speed: • Engines vary in size from 100 cc to 700 cc or greater • Can travel over 50 mph• High-speed operation of the ATV increases the risk of loss of

control and rollovers

Characteristics of UTV

• Steering wheel• Passenger seating• Four, five, or six wheels

depending upon its use.

• Occupant protective structure

• Seat belt• Cargo bed

Other Characteristics of UTVs

• Made for work purposes– Hauling feed, mulch materials, and

supplies

• A tool and not a toy• Safe operation of the utility vehicle

requires the same safe work habits as used with tractors, skid steer loaders, and ATVs

• Recommend that no operator younger than age 16 should operate the vehicle

• Always wear seat belt

ATV & UTV Safety Gear

• DOT helmet• Gloves• Goggles• Long-sleeves• Long pants• Over ankle boots

ATV Operation and Safety

• Never carry passengers– increases the risk of overturn injury and death.– A second person changes the center of gravity of the machine and

the machine’s steering ability.• Know the machine’s limitations• Avoid public roads. • Check your state’s vehicle code for use of the ATV as an

agricultural machine. • Safety training for ATV use is the first step in being a qualified

ATV operator. – http://www.atvsafety.org/– At a minimum, use the operator’s manual

Safe Use of Utility Type Vehicles

• Do not drive near ditches or embankments – If the ditch is 6 feet deep, stay

back from the edge by at least 6 feet

• Never carry more passengers than the UTV is designed for– Do not permit extra riders to ride

in the cargo box– Use the handholds– Buckle the seat belt

Safe Use of Utility Type Vehicles

• Cargo can raise the utility vehicle’s center of gravity– Risk of an overturn increases– Drive slowly and turn smoothly

• Secure the load from shifting sideways to prevent overturn• Avoid driving on steep slopes. It is safer to drive uphill or

downhill rather than across a slope• Reduce speed over rough terrain to prevent the utility vehicle

from bouncing– Operator and riders have been thrown from utility vehicles

Hazards on the Farm

• Loose, broken strands of wire

• Add-on equipment– Hooking on equipment– Flying objects

• Applying pesticides • Herding livestock • Ditches, rough terrain

Summary

• ATV/ UTVs are useful tools around the farm.• Injuries and fatalities can result when used incorrectly. • Always be familiar with your ATV/ UTV and it’s

features.• Always wear proper gear when riding or operating. • Only carry passengers when seating is designed for

them. • Unique hazards exist on farms and when using an

ATV/UTV for farm chores.

References

• Website- www.ATVsafety.gov• Safe Operations of Utility Type Vehicles (UTVs)-

http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/pdf/0597_1.pdf• ATVs in Ohio All- Terrain Vehicles: Laws,

Regulations, and Rules to Ride By (AEX-597)• http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/0597.html

For More Information

OSU Ag Safety & Health

The Ohio State University

Ag Engineering Building

590 Woody Hayes Drive

Columbus, Ohio 43210-1057

Email: jepsen.4@osu.edu

Phone: 614-292-6008

Website: agsafety.osu.edu

This project was supported by the USDA’s National Institute of Food

and Agriculture (NIFA) Rural Health and Safety Education Grant

Program- grant number 2012-46100-20144.