Drive Safe During Spring Planting Season

Spring planting and fall harvest are busy times. Farmers and workers have big equipment and implements on the road. 
Navigating roadways can be dangerous for farm equipment operators and auto drivers who follow behind them. 
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 410 farmers and farm workers died from work-related injuries in 2019. Transportation incidents, which included tractor overturns, were the leading cause of death for these farmers and farm workers. Below and to the right you will find some tips to make for a safer and more pleasant drive during the upcoming spring planting season.

• Add extra time when traveling on busy farm roads.
• Give farmers plenty of room on the road.
• When passing, be sure you do so in a passing zone and that there is clear visibility around farm equipment. Watch for oncoming vehicles.
• Go slow. Farm operators often stop or turn into fields.
• Do not assume that a farmer can move over in narrow areas; it is not always possible.
• Honk or motion when passing farmers, they may not see you or know you are there; their equipment is big and noisy.
• Do not tailgate; farmers often can’t see you.
• Do not pass and then slow suddenly in front of equipment with implements behind it or farm trucks full of grain. They cannot stop quickly.
• Farmers make wide turns, so give them plenty of time and room.

Spring Planting