Every year the OPP investigate devastating incidents involving young children being injured by family members operating farm machinery or vehicles.
In West Region alone, the OPP has already investigated two such incidents this year, said Sergeant David Rektor.
The OPP urges every driver, of any type of vehicle, to always perform a “walk-around” circle-check of the vehicle prior to putting it into motion. The circle check helps ensure that the vehicle is ready for the road and more importantly that there are no persons or obstacles in the way.
Police warn drivers whose vehicles are equipped with back-up cameras and alarms, not to rely on them. They are an added safety feature; however, there are blind spots that they cannot detect. Nothing can replace the importance of doing a circle-check around your vehicle to make sure it is safe to put into motion.
“It only takes a couple extra seconds to perform a circle-check and it can literally mean the difference between life and death,” Rektor said.
With spring upon us, the OPP is urging the farming community to be extra careful and keep young children away from farm vehicles and machinery during the forthcoming planting season. Circle-checks around farm equipment are vitally important as bigger equipment has more blind spots to contend with.
“Predictable is preventable,” Rektor added.
