Both a father and son have been reported to the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland after the 13-year-old boy was stopped while driving a tractor on a public road in Co. Fermanagh.
A PSNI officer told Belfast Live that road policing officers in Fermanagh recently stopped a 13-year-old boy driving a tractor and round baler on the road.
“The boy, who was in convoy with his father at the time, obviously did not hold a valid driving licence or insurance.
“From the age of 13 you are allowed to operate agricultural vehicles on the farm, but not on the road.
“Both father and son will be reported to the Public Prosecution Service for a range of motoring offences,” the officer said.
When did you start driving tractors?
It’s a commonly held view in the farming community that farmers sons and daughters start driving at a young age.
A straw poll in the Agriland office found ages ranging between 7-16 for a first tractor drive.
Most farmers remember vividly the first time they took control in the cab for the first time, usually as a result of incessant nagging for the weeks, months if not years precededing the event.
(Source – Agriland – Ciaran Moran – 13/07/2015)
76 Percent of Farmers Started Driving Tractors Before Leaving Primary School
Some 76% of farmers drove a tractor for the first time before they were 12 years old, according to an Agriland survey of over 2,000 people.
The age at which children should be allowed to drive tractors on farms often creates lively debate, with those from farming and non-farming backgrounds normally holding strongly differing opinions.
In our poll, some 21% of respondents said they drove a tractor first before the age of 16 while only 3% of those who took part in the survey said they were over 16 years of age.
Last week, a father and son were reported to the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland after the 13 year old was stopped while driving a tractor on a public road in Co. Fermanagh.
According to Teagasc Health and Safety Officer John McNamara, the issue has been debated numerous times of young children driving tractors at official level.
He said that from a farmer’s point of view the current age limits are fair and added that many farmers might say they are too strict.
However, he said people from a non-farming background are very concerned about the age limits and children driving tractors.
McNamara said Teagasc is encouraging farmers to read the code of practice on Preventing Accidents to Children and Young Persons in Agriculture.
“Farmers should read this in its entirety and work together with their children to ensure safe operation of machinery,” he said.
(Source – Agriland – Ciaran Moran – 14/07/2015)