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©, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc., 2003 onwards, unless specified otherwise. All rights reserved.
IMPORTANT:
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The
number of crashes between vehicles and farm equipment that result in
fatalities is staggering, and harvest is a particularly dangerous season
for crashes. People who drive in rural areas should be on the watch for
farm equipment, slow down if they see it, and be patient until the
machinery operator can get out of their way. But farmers have some
responsibilities on the roadway, too. Here's a quick refresher course.
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The
most common reasons cited for accidents are differences in
speed, unfamiliarity with the farm vehicle outline, poorly
maintained warning signs and not knowing an operator's
intentions.
If
you are a farmer, keep in mind that as of September 1, 2004 all
vehicles using public roads exclusively for agricultural
purposes are required to use a new Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV)
emblem that is brighter and longer lasting than previous ones.
These triangular SMV emblems serve as a caution to motorists
that the vehicle they are overtaking will likely be moving at a
rate of speed, much slower than their own.
Bob
Aherin, University of Illinois Extension agricultural safety
specialist, offers a checklist of tips that aim to reduce the
risk of farm equipment operators of being involved in a roadway
crash:
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Mark
the back of all farm equipment with a retro-reflective slow
moving vehicle emblem and mark the extremities and all sides
of farm equipment with retro-reflective tape. Research has
shown that mounting at least one but preferably two
flashing, amber lights that are visible to both the front
and rear of equipment and mounted as far right and left as
possible, can enhance visibility.
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Use
proper lighting and turn signals when moving farm equipment
on the road.
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This
photograph from Scotland has been inserted by Drive and Stay
Alive to help stress the international nature of these problems.
Large, slow-moving agricultural vehicles on narrow, rural roads
are involved in many deadly incidents in many countries.
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- Flashing amber warning lights visible
to the front and back should be mounted on the far right and left of
implements so other motorists can identify the wings of the
equipment.
- Put all equipment into transport
position prior to exiting the field. This means folding the wings of
hydraulic operated extremities and transporting combine headers on
trailers.
- Do not operate farm equipment on
public roadways in poor visibility conditions such as fog, heavy
rain and high levels of dust. Visibility should be at least 1000
feet for other drivers to be able to easily identify a slow moving
piece of equipment and take necessary aversive actions.
- While farm machinery operators have
the legal right to operate equipment on public roads (except
interstate highways) they must provide the right of way to other
motorists traveling in the opposite lane of traffic on two lane
roadways. This means farm equipment operators must pull over and let
oncoming traffic pass if any portion of their equipment is in the
left lane of traffic. If this is not possible, the only solution is
to provide escort vehicles to warn oncoming traffic approaching from
both the front and rear.
Crash rates are sobering
National Safety Council and IDOT data show that an accident involving a
farm vehicle is five times more likely to produce a fatality than other
types of motor vehicle accidents.
Looking at the rates of crashes between farm equipment and vehicles on
Illinois roadways, as an example, the figures are staggering.
The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that so far this year
there have been six fatalities involving crashes between cars and farm
equipment in their state. Over the past four years there have been 973
crashes involving farm equipment on Illinois roads, resulting in 22
deaths and 3 12 injuries. Here's how crashes and fatalities add up for
the last four years:
Vehicle vs. Farm Equipment Crashes in Illinois
| 2000 |
227 crashes |
4 fatalities |
72 injuries |
| 2001 |
249 crashes |
6 fatalities |
88 injuries |
| 2002 |
265 crashes |
3 fatalities |
84 injuries |
| 2003 |
232 crashes |
9 fatalities |
68 injuries |
More information and an equipment safety quiz are available on the
National Ag Safety Database, in a publication called Reduce
Farm Accident Risks on the Farm
Source:
Agriculture
Online
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