TORRANCE, Calif. (June 28, 2011) –School may be out and classrooms may be quiet, but now is the perfect time to study up on tractor and equipment safety. Warmer weather, longer days, outdoor fun and visits to the country…these are the makings of childhood memories, and Kubota Tractor Corporation wants to help ensure those memories are happy ones by providing some important safety reminders.

“Playing and working around equipment is second nature for some older youth, but no matter how carefree they may feel, equipment is meant for experienced adult operators. Children of all ages need to be extremely careful around any type of equipment,” says Greg Embury, vice president of sales and marketing, Kubota Tractor Corporation. “June is the start of summer vacation for many, as well as the National Safety Council’s National Safety Month, and a great time to renew your commitment to safety and remind kids that tractors, lawn and garden equipment, and utility vehicles are tools and not toys.”

Talking to Your Family about Adopting a “Safety First” Attitude
According to the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, each year an estimated 15,011 children who visit, live or work on farms or ranches are injured and more than 100 children die of agriculture-related injuries in the
United States alone. These staggering statistics make it imperative to focus on safety education for the entire family – early and often. Kubota is an industry leader in promoting equipment safety and the company remains steadfast in its dedication to keep families safe. With that goal in mind, Kubota offers the following tips to help equipment owners and operators start the safety conversation with kids.  Children should be told the following safety messages:

• Stop, look and listen when playing outside, especially on the farm, and always be aware of your surroundings.

• Farm equipment is not safe to ride on even when an adult is present.

• Tractors are not toys. They are powerful machines only to be used by adults who are thoroughly familiar with the equipment.
• Children should never ride on a tractor; a tractor only has one seat and that seat is intended for the operator. Just say “no” if someone wants to give you a ride. It is not safe to be a “rider” when the tractor is intended for one operator.
• Never stand behind a tractor – whether it is running or not – the operator might not see you and you could get hurt.
• Be a “safety first sheriff” and encourage use of seatbelts for your entire family. Just like in a car, a tractor is equipped with a seatbelt for safety. Additionally, a Roll Over Protection Structure (ROPS) on a tractor is in place to protect the driver.
  

Kubota supports safety education for its customers and their families by sponsoring the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® education program, part of an effort designed to make safety education and training available for children year-round. Now in its 17th year, the program will conduct more than 410 Safety Day events this year across the United States and Canada.  In 2010, the programs reached more than 95,700 participants with 18,000 adult and older teen volunteers.

Additional information about Kubota’s support of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation education program, along with safety information including Kubota’s “Ten Commandments of Tractor Safety,” a safety podcast, and a downloadable tractor safety coloring book can be found at the Kubota website: www.kubota.com.

Kubota Tractor Corporation, Torrance, Calif., is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-branded equipment, including a complete line of tractors up to 118 PTO hp, performance-matched implements, compact and utility-class construction equipment, consumer lawn and garden equipment, commercial turf products and utility vehicles. For product literature or dealer locations, contact Kubota Tractor Corporation at
3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503, (888) 4-KUBOTA [(888) 458-2682], Ext. 900, or visit www.kubota.com.