Plowing and planting are underway, so you’ll be seeing farm equipment and tractors on the road much more often. And while it may be tempting to rush past farm vehicles, state farm bureaus are urging drivers to just be patient.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau posted a reminder on its Facebook page about driving safely behind farm vehicles. The post said that driving for two miles at 20 MPH behind a farm vehicle will only take six minutes. Yes it can be frustrating, but the agency wants drivers to plan extra time and not rush their trips if they regularly take roads with farm equipment.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said that in 2021, there were 80 crashes on roads involving farm equipment or vehicles. Penn State also released farm fatality numbers for 2015-2019, with several people dying in crashes on the road with farm equipment, on top of over 100 deadly incidents on the farm. According to a 2019 report from The Batavian, rural road accidents are America’s deadliest, and in a three-year window, there were over 200 ag-related crashes involving over 400 people.
Both PFB and the New York Farm Bureau have tips available for both farmers and other drivers to stay safe on the road during the busy spring, summer, and fall months. Farm equipment, and any vehicles that drive under 40MPH (25MPH in Pa.), will have a slow-moving vehicle sign, making it easy to spot while driving.
Both bureaus say that the most important thing when you see one of these signs is to slow down immediately. You should also stay further back from these vehicles to create a cushion if something happens; a car moving faster than a slow tractor will close that gap in just a few seconds.
Source: binghamtonhomepage.com
Photo Credit: istock-simplycreativephotography
Categories: Nebraska, Business, New York, General, Rural Lifestyle