American Farm Bureau is celebrating Agricultural Safety Awareness Program Week March 6-12, foucsing on one area of farm safety every day. Today’s safety information includes tips for farmers and drivers on sharing roadways and comes from our friends at Illinois Farm Bureau.
Tips for Farmers: Share the road safely with motorists.
She is going to work. He is dropping the kids off at school. He is making deliveries for his company. They are traveling to visit family.
Do everything possible to alert motorists to the presence of your farm equipment and slow travel speed.
- Plan travel to avoid rush hours, bad weather, the busiest roads, and the time before daylight and after dark.
- Be obvious to motorists by proper use of reflective Slow Moving Vehicle emblems on any implement of husbandry operated on public roadways. It’s the law!
- Use reflective marking tape and reflectors at the extremities of equipment.
- Turn on hazard lights mounted on farm equipment and turn off field work lights for all roadway travel.
- Install mirrors that are wide enough for you to see what is following you.
- Always use turn signals to indicate plans to turn into fields or driveways.
- Be aware of traffic—-oncoming, in front of you, and behind you.
- If road and shoulder conditions are safe, pull over temporarily to allow traffic to pass.
- Slow down on turns and curves. Check the traffic behind you.
- Minimize the width of equipment as much as possible. You may not interfere with traffic in an adjoining lane.
- When practical, truck larger equipment to the next location.
Tips for Motorists: Share the road safely with farm equipment.
He is moving the planter to the next field. She is hauling corn to the grain elevator. Farm equipment travels at a slow rate of speed and may be wider than other vehicles. If road and shoulder conditions are safe, the farmer may try to pull over to let you pass safely. Above all, slow down and be patient.
- Reduce speed when encountering farm equipment on public roads. Flashing amber lights mean “caution.”
- Slow down when you see the Slow Moving Vehicle Emblem—-the orange and red reflective triangle warns you that the tractor or combine travels at a slow rate of speed.
- Keep a safe distance from the farm equipment so the farmer can see you. If you can’t see his mirrors, he can’t see you.
- Pass wide, large farm equipment only if you know conditions are safe and you are sure the farmer will not be making a left-hand turn. Be cautious when pulling back in.
- It is illegal to pass in a no passing lane.
- Be prepared to yield to wide equipment.
- Always wear a safety belt and heed the road’s speed limit.
- Watch for the farmer’s indication of a turn. Newer equipment has one or more amber lights flashing rapidly to indicate a turn. Older equipment is typically not equipped with turn signals so watch for the farmer’s hand signals.
