Every year farmers need to get their tractors and equipment to and from the fields. This usually involves driving the slow and oversized equipment on public roads. Most farm vehicles travel at speeds under 25 mph and have attachments that can be wider than most roadways. Rules and regulations
vary from state to state as to the requirements for farm equipment to be driven on roadways. More than 15,000 collisions involving farm vehicles occur every year on roadways. Planting and harvesting are the most dangerous times for drivers. Let’s all do our part to be courteous and stay safe.
Safety Tips for Farm Equipment Drivers
Know your equipment and the laws in your state for driving farm equipment on roadways.
Perform pre-trip inspection including of all lights, flashers, signals, and reflectors to ensure they are functioning properly.
Make sure the “Slow Moving Vehicle Sign” can be seen.
Know how wide your attachments are and if the attachments are blocking
any signs, signals, or lights from the farm vehicle.
Heads should be removed from combines before traveling on the road. The heads should be transported on their approved trailers and pulled behind the combine or another support vehicle.
If your equipment contains tanks in which chemicals will be transported, check all valves and fittings to make sure nothing is leaking or dripping before entering the roadway.
Avoid driving before dawn and after dusk as it is hard to judge speeds at night. (Some states do not allow farm vehicles to use roadways at night).
Try to pick a low traffic time of day.
Avoid congested areas, towns, and cities when at all possible and take back or country roads with less traffic.
Obey all traffic laws including stop signs, speed limits, etc.
Always wear a seatbelt and never tamper with the roll over protection cage or structure.
Farm vehicles must not obstruct the normal flow of traffic, be courteous, pull over and let traffic pass (when it is safe to do so).
Always drive defensively and never give crude hand gestures to other drivers. (Even if they are driving aggressively or tailgating, this will only escalate the situation).
Acknowledge when other drivers are being patient and courteous, a hand wave goes a long way.
Drive on the shoulder of a paved highway, if possible. However, do not drive partly on the shoulder and partly on the paved lane.
Take extra caution at all railroad crossings. Turn off radio’s, fans, and roll down windows to look and listen and verify it is safe to cross.
Drive at
speeds that gives you control of the vehicle at all times.
Slow down on gravel roads, hill, curves and turns.
One seat, one rider. No one is permitted to ride unless there is a seat belt provided.
Use a “pilot or escort” vehicle to follow behind, if possible, it should be equipped with flashing lights and signs that warn of an oversized load. (Check local laws for requirements).
