Assessing Youth Safety Knowledge with the Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the safety knowledge of youth in high school agricultural education. The target population consisted of youth ages 14 to 18 who were enrolled in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs that used the Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET) safety knowledge assessment between May 2019 and June 2020 (N = 1,451). The safety knowledge questions were randomly generated from the curriculum resources of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program (NSTMOP). The test consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions, with one point awarded for each correct answer, and covered topics such as safety basics, agricultural hazards, tractors, connecting and using implements with tractors, and materials handling. The majority of students were male (n = 847, 58.4%). The highest proportion of students were enrolled in the 11th grade at the time of the test. Most respondents indicated that they were from a rural area (52.0%). Test scores for the 1,451 students ranged from a minimum of 4% to a maximum of 98%. Within each independent variable, test scores averaged in the low 60s, with the exception of test scores for students in 9th grade, which averaged 56.43%. Research and continuing education are needed to influence the behavior of young workers in agricultural settings.