Hayride Safety 101

Hayride Safety 101

There’s perhaps nothing that more embodies fall than heading down to the local pumpkin patch. You can pick out the perfect gourd for carving, purchase apple cider, wander through a corn maze and hop on a hayride. Who doesn’t enjoy riding through a farm or orchard while sitting on a bale of hay? I’ve enjoyed plenty of them. But you should also be mindful of the dangers they present. I heard the story from someone where about twenty years ago they had fallen off a hayride and were almost completely run over.

Fortunately, other riders saw them fall off and were able to get the driver to stop quickly. They were caught up in the fun and forgot the rules.  After they stood up on the ride all they remember was waking up (from blacking out) and having the wheel of a trailer pressed against their torso.  They luckily only spent three days in the hospital with a bruised lung and liver along with three broken ribs.  All and all they were pretty lucky.  I did not see many hayride safety tips online so please apply these safety tips while enjoying a hay ride.

• Follow the posted rules. A reputable business operating a hayride should have posted rules, probably near the waiting area or cash register. Read them, and take some time to explain them to your children.
• Listen to ticket takers, attendants and operators. These people not only know the rules of the hayride, but are also probably reciting them. They will correct anyone they see doing something wrong.
• Do not stand on the ride. Learn from their mistake. Once the ride starts, don’t stand, plain and simple. Hay can be slippery, and a moving wagon is not a stable surface to stand on.
• Do not throw straw. The person also stood because other riders started a hay fight. They wanted to participate. This is another unsafe behavior, don’t do it.
• Use caution with cameras or other devices that will distract you. You may really want to take a quick photo of your family on the hayride to post on Facebook. Please do this before or afterwards. While the ride is moving, it’s important to keep your focus on the ride.
• Hold on. This is one simple way to help ensure you won’t fall off the ride.
• Keep arms and legs inside the wagon. You don’t know the trail the wagon will travel. There might be some tight spaces. Keeping your arms and legs inside the wagon will help make sure nothing hits you.

It’s a lot of common sense, but like a said earlier, it’s easy to get caught up in the fun and forget the rules. And hayrides are a lot of fun—more so when everyone is safe.

Please take care and enjoy all the fall has to offer safely.