Dear Geir and Jonina,
Thank you for your excellent study. So the Traffic Act of 1988 introduced a
minimum age limit of 13 years for off-road tractor driving, representing a
significant advancement in improving safety for children in your country.
I have conducted a search for similar traffic legislation in my own country
and reviewed several studies on the issue but have not found any relevant
information.
In June 2024, a tractor driven by an 11-year-old boy collided with children
playing on the side of the road. Two children lost their lives and two
others were injured in the incident. Such events are frequent but often not
included in statistics as tractor-related accidents.
Children living in agricultural areas are starting to use tractors from
early ages in Türkiye. However, they are faced with deadly dangers due to
they have not yet completed their physical and mental developments. In
agricultural areas, parents may allow children aged 10-12 to operate
tractors or even combine harvesters.
I believe that such a law could be so beneficial but also its
implementation would be so important.
Thank you
Gonca
CHIFA profile:Gonca Yilmaz is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society for Social Paediatrics and Child Health. She is a social pediatrician in a training hospital in Ankara, Turkey, and has a postgraduate degree in Social Pediatrics. Her interests include child rights, child abuse and neglect management, well-child and baby care, and infant nutrition. goncay AT gmail.com