Updated July 2008
In bystander runovers the victim, often a child, is run over by a vehicle or agricultural machine because the driver is unaware of his/her presence or cannot avoid the collision. Between 1990 and 2004, 87 people were killed in bystander runovers. From April 1990 to March 2000 an additional 325 people were hospitalized for injuries sustained in bystander runovers. Bystander runovers are the most common type of runover event. They accounted for 27.8% of all runover fatalities and 41.5% of runovers requiring hospitalization.
Victims of bystander runovers are mainly non-working children and youth rather than farm workers. 55.2% of bystander runover fatalities and 25.5% of bystander runover hospitalizations involved children under the age of fifteen. 51.7% of those killed in bystander runovers were aged nine or under.
Many bystander runover fatalities could be prevented by ensuring that children are supervised closely and kept well away from agricultural work sites, especially the farmyard and driveway, where most of these runovers occur.
Catherine Isaacs, National Coordinator and Data Manager of The Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting believes that, “Parents should keep their young children away from agricultural work sites in order to ensure their safety. This can be done by providing close supervision and by erecting physical barriers such as fences around play areas and work areas.”
This information is derived from data collected and analyzed by Canadian Agricultural Injury Surveillance Program collaborators and staff. CAIR is funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and managed in cooperation with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.
For more information contact:
Dr. Rob Brison (via Deb Emerton),
The Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting,
Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario K7L 2V7
Tel: (613) 548-2389 Fax (613) 548-1381
Email: CAIR@kgh.kari.net www.CAIR.ca
