14-Year-Old Killed by Overturned Tractor: Why Was He Allowed to Drive?

A 14-year-old boy died after a tractor he was driving suddenly lurched backward in a muddy field and crushed him, raising questions about why a child was allowed to operate the machine.

Dong Thap authorities said on Sept. 6 that the case remained under investigation. Nguyen Xuan Nam, chairman of Phu Thanh Commune, said the boy, identified as T., came from Long Binh Commune. His parents had divorced, and he lived with his grandmother. He took seasonal jobs operating tractors, tillers and combine harvesters to earn money.

Initial findings indicate that the tractor's wheel dug deeply into the mud, creating momentum that jerked the machine backward. T. was standing behind it and could not get out of the way. The commune visited the family, offered condolences and provided financial assistance for funeral expenses.

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We will tighten management and study bringing tractor owners into cooperatives for centralized oversight. Workers employed by cooperatives must be at least 18 years old.

Nam said local authorities generally manage tractors because the machines work mainly in fields, and enforcement of driver-licensing requirements has not been strict. He said the commune would review and register tractors, strengthen oversight and discourage the use of underage workers. “We will tighten management and study bringing tractor owners into cooperatives for centralized oversight,” Nam said. “Workers employed by cooperatives must be at least 18 years old.”

Lawyer Bui Duc Lam said investigators should determine whether the person who hired T. violated rules on employing children under 15. Children aged 13 to under 15 may perform only approved light work, he said, while operating dangerous agricultural machinery does not qualify. If investigators establish violations of workplace safety rules, the employer could face criminal responsibility, including under Article 295 of Vietnam's Penal Code. The investigation is continuing.

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Therefore, investigators need to focus on whether Mr. Chien acted negligently and caused a death by violating safety rules, and they need to clarify the responsibility of the person who hired the worker.