Tractor safety course aimed at teens

    Teens 14 or 15 years of age who work on farms, or others who are interested in learning about tractor and farm equipment safety practices, can register for a safety training course offered at seven locations across Nebraska from May 22 through June 8.
    One of the safety courses will be in North Platte May 22-23.
    The course is sponsored by the University of Nebraska Extension and the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health.
     The first day of the course is a hands-on event at one of two locations or online through the eXtension Foundation Campus website.
    The hands-on events will occur on May 22 in North Platte and May 30 in Grand Island.         After completing the hands-on event or the online course and testing, the required driving test will be offered at seven locations across Nebraska from May 23 through June 8.
     Federal law prohibits children under 16 from using specific equipment on a farm unless their parents or legal guardians own the farm. However, certification received through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14 and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with specific mechanized equipment.
     Aaron Yoder, PhD, associate professor at the UNMC College of Public Health, reports that a common cause of ag-related injuries and deaths in Nebraska is overturned tractors and ATVs and equipment entanglements.
    He said this course trains students to avoid these incidents and other hazards on the farm and ranch.
    Once a student is registered, coordinators will send instructions, materials, course paperwork and a link to the online course if they do not attend one of the two hands-on events.
     The onsite driving training and exam will include a driving test, equipment operation and ATV safety lessons. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course.
    Instructors also will offer education on emergency preparedness, personal protective equipment, and safe behaviors and laws for ATVs, utility-task vehicles and other off-road vehicles.
    The course costs $35 and includes educational materials and supplies. Participants can pay at the time of registration or before the driving exam.  
    Here is information on the North Platte courses:
    Hands-On Safety Day May 22 – Lincoln County Extension Office, 348 West State Farm Rd., North Platte. Contacts: Randy Saner (randy.saner@unl.edu) and Vicki Neidhardt (vicki.neidhardt@unl.edu) at 308-532-2683
    If not attending a Hands-On Safety Day, online course must be completed.
    Tractor Driving Days—May 23, Lincoln County Extension Office, 348 West State Farm Rd., North Platte. Same contact info as above.
    Courses will also be held in Gering, Grand Island, O’Neill, Hastings, West Point and Weeping Water.