Tractor accidents in our region take place at a somewhat alarming rate. Because agriculture is still a major endeavor in western PA and eastern Ohio, it's no wonder these accidents take place more frequently than not, but that doesn't mean there aren't safety restrictions and devices that should be built into the component of tractor working systems to ensure the safety of its drivers.
This past Tuesday, an Ohio congressman was seriously injured during a tractor accident in Greenford, Ohio. According to reports from the man's wife, the victim was at his daughter's home in Greenford operating the tractor when the accident occurred. She said in a phone call that her husband remains in critical condition and is being treated at St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, OH.
Police say the accident occurred at around 8 p.m. Tuesday night at the man's daughter's farm along South Range Road / State Route 165. First responders say they located the victim pinned beneath the tractor. Firefighters were called to the scene to remove the tractor and get the man to safety. Paramedics attempted CPR, then drove him to Salem Community Hospital. Soon thereafter, he was rush to St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Police say it looked as though the man was trying to navigate the tractor into a farm building, possibly to park it, when he was attempting to avoid another piece of farming machinery and the tractor flipped over.
The victim served for nearly twenty years as a United States Congressman in Ohio's 17th District. Since then, he now hosts a public radio program, a weekend TV talk show, and he has written a book.
If you have been injured while operating a tractor, call the personal injury advocates at Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. at 800-777-4081.
Source: WKBN, "Traficant seriously injured in tractor accident" 24 September 2014