Fatal agricultural accidents in 2025: fewer cases - risk remains high
In 2025, 22 fatal personal accidents were recorded in Switzerland in connection with agricultural activities. The figures come from evaluations by the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention in Agriculture (BUL) and agriss.
Compared to the previous year (2024: 25 fatalities), this represents a slight decrease. In a longer-term comparison, however, the burden remains high: between 2016 and 2025, an average of 28 fatal accidents were registered per year. It is therefore not possible to speak of sustainable relief.
Majority of deaths at work
Of the 22 fatalities, 17 occurred to working persons during agricultural work. In addition, one child was killed and five deaths involved third parties who had accidents in the context of agricultural activities.
The figures make it clear that risks are not limited to the immediate workplace, but can also affect family members, passers-by and road users.
Focus on forestry and vehicle accidents
The detailed analysis shows that fatal accidents in 2025 occurred in the following situations in particular:
in the event of overturns or rollovers of tractors, transporters or lifting vehicles,
due to falling from vehicles or rolling over,
when working with machines, for example through jamming or contact with drive shafts,
in the event of falls from hay cranes or through hay discharge openings,
as well as during timber harvesting and forestry work, for example due to falling or rolling logs.
Third parties also affected
There were also several fatal accidents involving third parties in 2025. These included collisions between agricultural vehicles and other road users, serious accidents during repair work and incidents in connection with cattle drives or work in public spaces.
These accidents make it clear that agricultural activities have an impact far beyond the farm and require special attention when dealing with the public and traffic.
Older people particularly at risk
The age of accident victims in 2025 ranged from 8 to 91 years. Seven of the people killed in agricultural work accidents were over 65 years old. This confirms a familiar pattern: vulnerability and the consequences of accidents increase with age, particularly in physically demanding or high-risk activities.
Source: BUL
