Risk Factors for a Farm Vehicle Public Road Crash

Abstract

Although farm vehicle public road crashes are relatively infrequent events, they are more likely to result in injury and fatality than non-farm vehicle crashes. Farmers are concerned about their safety when driving farm vehicles on public roads, yet research attention to the issue is lacking. Drawing on transportation crash prevention models, this study posited that a combination of driver, vehicle, farm and public road environmental characteristics are associated with farm vehicle public road crash group membership.

A case-control study compared farms reporting a farm vehicle public road crash (1992-2003) with farms that had not experienced one. A total of 14,800 phone numbers were called. The calling list was randomly selected and ordered from a USDA agricultural program database (n = 46,910) of North Carolina resident farm operators and owner/operators. Approximately 76 percent of numbers called allowed successful screening. Approximately 26 percent of calls screened met inclusion eligibility. Response to a 20-minute telephone survey was 100 percent among eligible farm operators and owner/operators actively farming, 18 years or older, and driving farm vehicles on public roads. A sample of n = 200 crash cases and n = 185 no-crash controls were available for data analysis for an approximate 1:1 case : control ratio.

The combined logistic regression model of eighteen driver, vehicle and environmental characteristics was significant for crash group membership differences (X2 = 192, df = 18, p < .0001). Eight characteristics (i.e., six driver, one vehicle and one environmental) were associated with increased odds of crash group membership as hypothesized: non-English speaking help drivers (OR = 4.61); non-family hired help drivers (OR = 4.32); public road conflict (OR = 1.77); non-farm vehicle public road use (OR = 1.40); farm injury history (OR = 1.34); and, younger farm vehicle drivers (OR = 1.02).

Farms reporting older farm vehicle drivers (OR = 0.96), increased perception of farm vehicle public road driving danger (OR = 0.53), and low farm income (OR = 0.26) were less likely crash group members.

Recommendations are discussed for incorporating combined driver, vehicle and environmental risk factors and preventive characteristics into farm vehicle crash prevention research and interventions.