Tractor & Equipment Safety Course
The CS-CASH works with local partners to host Tractor and Equipment Safety Certification Course & Hands-On Safety Days across the state of Nebraska every year.
Check back in the spring for Summer 2024 information!
Annual "tractor safety" training courses are scheduled every year across Nebraska in May and June. This certification course is designed to train students how to avoid common tractor and equipment related hazards. Students will complete the first day of the course either by attending a hands-on event or online through the eXtension Foundation Campus website. After successfully completing the hands-on event or the online course and testing, the required driving test will be offered at multiple locations across Nebraska.
Federal law prohibits children under 16 years of age from using certain equipment on a farm unless their parents or legal guardians own the farm. However, certification received through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with certain mechanized equipment.
Teens 14 or 15 years of age who work on farms, or others who are interested in learning about safe farming practices, are encouraged to register for the certification course. Students under age 14 are not eligible for certification but the hands-on event is open to everyone in the community. Children under 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Students will:
- Register for their driving exam date
- Register to complete the Hands-On Safety Day prior to completing the driving exam. Individuals can opt to attend just the Hands-On Safety Day but will not receive certification.
The onsite driving training and exam will include a driving test and equipment operation and ATV safety lessons. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course. Instructors will also offer education about safe behaviors and laws for ATVs, utility-task vehicles (UTVs), and other off-road vehicles (ORVs).