 Tractor rollover accidents account for one half of all farm fatalities. This tractor is being set up to show what happens in a rollover crash. Probably the driver would have been crushed to death in less than 1.4 seconds. That's not enough time to react let alone jump. Here is 1.4 seconds. Start. Stop. A different tractor in a different situation but with the same result, a dead operator. This tractor is equipped with a rollover protection structure or a ROPS. It also has a seat belt for the driver. Listen to this. There has never been a report of a fatality because of a tractor rollover if the tractor was equipped with a ROPS and the operator was wearing his or her seat belt. Never. They say that again. There has never been a report of a fatality because of a tractor rollover if the tractor was equipped with a ROPS and the operator was wearing his or her seat belt. Never. See for yourself what protection the operator has with a ROPS and a seat belt. It is the operator's responsibility to do everything possible to reduce the chances of rollover. For instance, when you have to work on a hillside, move the front and rear wheels to the widest possible position. Also put weights or ballast on the tractor and on the axles. To keep the center of gravity low and centered, select a low gear and slow down. Keep side mounted implements on the uphill side. Avoid hitting depressions or holes with the downhill wheels and obstructions with the uphill wheels. If you feel uncomfortable driving on a side hill with the tractor, the hill may be too steep to work safely and you should change your angle of attack. If you need to turn uphill, do it slowly. If stability becomes a problem, turn downhill slowly. If your tractor has a front end loader, you can cause it to rollover by carrying your load too high on the hillside or by making a sharp turn while driving too fast with a load. Another cause of farm tractor rollovers is to drive too close to a ditch or culvert or to drive off a paved road onto a very soft shoulder. It's worse if there's been a lot of snow or it's dark out. You might not know exactly where the edge of the road is and innocently drive off the edge. Or there might be a large rock or stump that would cause your tractor to rear up and roll. Many of today's tractors are equipped with GPS controllers. They take a lot of the drudgery out of keeping a tractor working in a straight line. But the time when you most want to use the GPS system is when you shouldn't use it. It's when you're already tired and sleepy. Chances are you'll fall asleep. That's always dangerous. Use the GPS system to help reduce the workload but never as a substitute for sleep. Even experienced and careful drivers, truly great farmers can get into trouble. You can never come to the point where you can say with confidence that you don't need rollover protection or ROPs. Almost every tractor, including low profile tractors, needs a ROPs and a seat belt that must be worn. If you're working in an orchard, vineyard or hopsfield, your tractor may have a ROPs which can be folded down so it doesn't damage the trees or vines. The moment you clear the trees, hops or vineyards stop and raise the ROPs. There have been many fatal accidents in fruit orchards where the operator has lowered the ROPs to drive among the trees and never raised it again. If your tractor does not have a ROPs or you're operating without raising it up, do not wear a seat belt. Seat belts are designed to keep your body within the zone of protection. Side rollovers are not the only way a farm tractor can rollover. Rear rollovers are also very common and often are fatal. A rear rollover can happen in less than three quarters of a second and the tractor might not even be moving. The only protection is to have a ROPs installed and wear a seat belt. Another common cause is hitching the load too high, such as around the rear axle. Use the draw bar. If the tractor is started and then rolls backward to a sudden stop, the tractor can rollover backwards. Pick the lowest gear and then don't change gears while you are climbing the slope. A backward rollover can happen if the wheels get stuck in snow or mud. If you get stuck, back out. Drive around the ditches, not across them. We've been talking about major farm tractor accidents, but you can be injured so badly just getting off the tractor you won't be able to work for months. You can sustain wrist, arm, hip, leg and ankle injuries or the most devastating cracking your heel bone, all from falling or jumping off the tractor steps or taking two steps at a time. Climb and descend the steps as you do a ladder. Use the three point system. Two hands in a foot or two feet in one hand. Always in contact with the steps or the hand holes and always face the tractor when going up and down the steps. Never go down facing away from the tractor. Use the hand holes. It's so simple and the results if you don't follow these suggestions can destroy your ability to work. A farmer never runs out of work and always has deadlines to meet, but no matter what has to be done accidents have to be prevented. To prevent rollover fatalities, a rops must be in place and the operator must wear a seat belt. When working on a hillside, slow down. Spread the wheels, keep your load low and use weights to add stability, but don't overload the tractor. If you feel uncomfortable working on a hillside, it may be too steep to work on. Turn downhill slowly. The best way to work on steep hills is to back up and drive down. To prevent backward rollovers, hitch to the drawbar. Use the lowest gear and don't change gears while driving up a slope. Keep your distance from ditches and culverts. Be careful driving through snow. It may hide dangers. Take extra efforts to stay awake if you're operating with a GPS device. Always climb up and down a tractor steps facing the tractor.