Farmers and motorists will be sharing the road during the harvest season
With the 2024 harvest season underway, farmers and community members are putting an emphasis on safety as farm equipment and regular vehicles will be sharing the road.
About 70 percent of crashes involving farm equipment happen in rural zip codes, a study from the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health says.
In Illinois, farmer Brad Browning can travel as far as 18 miles between fields.
He’s asking motorists to be patient when they see farm equipment.
“When they see the flashing lights or a (slow moving vehicle) sign just to slow down a little bit and give the machine’s operator a chance to get moved over, or give them plenty of room to pass,” he told WSILTV.
In Iowa, a farm safety researcher says the onus on safety should fall on drivers too.
Motorists should focus on the road when driving.
“I would actually say other vehicle drivers really are the ones that maybe need to step up a little,” Cara Hamann told Western Iowa Today. “They’re there, be aware, get off your phones and slow down.”
State Farm suggests motorists stay at least 50 feet back from farm equipment to help ensure the operator sees them.
And to be cautious when a piece of equipment looks like it’s turning.
“A driver may appear to be pulling to the right to let you pass when they are actually making a wide left-hand turn,” an information sheet says.
Some farmers urge motorists to treat driving behind farm equipment as if they’re driving behind a semi-truck.
Some of the same principles apply.
“If you have ever been behind a semi-truck that has a sign that says, 'If you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you,' the same thing applies to driving a combine or planter down the road. If you are right behind us, we can't see you,” Jacob Thompson, who farms near Jacksonville, Ill., told the Journal-Courier.
What measures do you employ on your farm equipment to ensure maximum safety during harvest season?