Be Watchful for Farm Vehicles
/The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety wants to remind drivers that slow-moving farm vehicles will soon be sharing the roadways as harvest season begins. Please be patient, drive carefully and respect boundaries when driving around farm vehicles.
“It can be easy to forget that farmers are simply doing their jobs when moving equipment from field to field,” said Robert Brinkmann, Chairman of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. “It’s important that we as drivers be patient and give them the space they need, so we can all reach our destinations safely.”
Farm vehicles pose a special hazard to drivers who are not used to seeing them on the roadways. Lights and reflectors are in different locations than regular motor vehicles, and loads on farm vehicles may be larger than on other vehicles. These cause challenges for drivers who are not familiar with left, right, rear and front projections are not easily recognizable.
Most collisions between farm equipment and motor vehicles are rear end collisions or when a driver attempts to pass a farm vehicle that is making a wide left turn.
The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety recommends these simple tips when driving around slow-moving farm machinery:
Be mindful that it’s harvest season and keep an eye out for machinery.
Be patient and remember that farmers are just doing their jobs.
Always pass on the left and only when you have clear sight distance.
Always wear your seat belt. It’s your best defense in any traffic crash.
Pay full attention to the road and put your cell phone down.
Missouri’s strategic highway safety plan, Show-Me Zero, provides more information on how all Missourians can do their part to achieve zero traffic fatalities. The plan can be viewed at www.savemolives.com.
KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story
