A study by researchers at James Cook University found there was a lack of data around farm accidents among adolescents.

“It’s a bit of a forgotten group,” said study co-author Professor Richard Franklin.

“We know that it’s a high risk time as they start to take on new jobs and new responsibilities,” he says.

“We found that there’s just a lack of awareness about the things that could have injured or harmed them on farm,” he said.

Franklin said part of the problem was a lack of data for the 13 to 19 years age group, with some research up to two decades old.

Between 2003 and 2006 there was an average of 82 non intentional farm injury deaths per year for the adolescent age group in Australian agriculture.

The peer reviewed paper “adolescence is an opportunity for farm injury prevention” is published in a special issue around child farm safety in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

The researchers found adolescents need more of a focus if they’re to be kept safe.

“We do want people to think about adolescents, they’re the future of agriculture,” said Franklin.

“We want to make sure that they have an enjoyable experience when they come into agriculture and they’re not being injured or killed on farm.”

A new phone app which is being developed by the researchers will specifically target adolescents.

The app is expected to be ready by April next year.

In the meantime Franklin warns the holiday period usually sees an increase in injuries and deaths of children on farms.