Since Fall is here, you can be sure to see farmers out in full force, hauling their crop to the elevator and completing their fall tillage.
For every tragic accident involving a passenger vehicle and a farm implement on the road, there are thousands of near misses. Today’s modern farm equipment takes up most of the road and, because of its massive size, it’s often difficult for the operator to see what’s behind it. Take a look at the photo below. Look at how the entire right side tires of the combine are in the ditch to get over far enough to leave the other lane open. Imagine if that was a more narrow country road!
It is imperative to be alert on the road. If you approach a piece of farm equipment from either direction, SLOW DOWN. The fastest farm machinery out there only goes 30 mph, so be alert.
Early morning, dusk, evening, and foggy days are the most dangerous times to share the roadway with farm equipment. Visibility of the equipment is a major issue that all manufacturers and safety groups continue to focus a lot of attention on. Not only is it difficult to see the equipment and realize how much space it’s taking on the road, it’s also challenging to see around it to see if it’s safe to pass.
If you’re passing a piece of farm equipment from the rear, do not attempt the pass near an intersection, who knows if the farmer plans on turning. The farmer may not be able to see you. Here’s a scary story about a farmer we know who almost died in this situation.
Farmers are only on the roads for a few months out of the year and what they do is a necessity for us. Please show a little extra patience when traveling this harvest season so you, your family and the farmer can all make it home safely.
