Understanding the Public Health Impacts of Farm Vehicle Public Road Crashes in North Carolina

Discussions with groups of North Carolina farmers identified farm vehicle public road safety as their primary occupational health and safety concern. Findings of a mail survey of North Carolina growers participating in a North Carolina Department of Labor migrant housing inspection program indicated that over 97% of them felt less safe on North Carolina public roads now (1999) than five years prior (1995), and over 79% currently (1999) felt unsafe transporting farm vehicles on North Carolina public roads. Using both primary and secondary data, we explore the context of farm vehicle public road crashes, identify contributing individual and environmental risk factors, and estimate the public health cost. Recommendations and suggestions for future farm vehicle public road safety research and interventions are proposed.