Planting season is well underway, and it’s crucial for motorists to be aware of safety precautions while sharing the roadways with farm machinery.
Steven Freeman, a professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State University, tells Radio on the Go News that farmers need to follow safety precautions.
“Well I think the first thing we need to make sure is that their equipment is as visible as possible. So they need to make sure that all of their lights are working, that their SMV emblems are clear, that the reflective markers are clear. So that maintenance is something that will help the motorists see them. So anything that the farmer can do there is going to help. And then of course for farmers this is a stressful time of year. They need to make sure that they are also taking care of themselves, getting enough sleep, eating well, don’t add that additional physical stress to an already stressful time.”
Freeman says rural drivers need to slow down and keep their distance from farm equipment.
“Even if they have to follow farm equipment for a couple of miles, that’s just a couple of minutes out of their day. They should not try to pass because sometimes that’s not going to be safe. And they should not be impatient and honking and expecting the farmer to pull over and let them by because sometimes that’s not safe. Side of the road may not support the weight of the farm equipment, so the farmers should not be putting themselves at risk to help a motorist that is impatient.”
Freeman says by remembering to share the road safely, the risk for disaster can be minimized.
