Help Keeps Roads Safe This Spring; Watch For Farm Equipment
Posted
Staff Report-
LEESBURG – With the warmer weather of spring comes one of the busiest and most exciting times of the year for farmers – planting season.
As farmers head to the fields to plant, farm-vehicle traffic increases on local roads and highways. Local farmers encourage all drivers to exercise caution when approaching tractors and farm implements to ensure their safety and the safety of others.
Kassi Rowland, of Tom Farms in Leesburg, says when farmers and drivers work together, it helps keep rural and state roads safe.
“Planting season is certainly an exciting time for any farmer, but the number one priority will always be safety,” she says. “When operating farm machinery, its always extremely important to be alert and aware of others on the road, but also just as important that other drivers take caution as well to keep everyone on the road safe.”
Tom Farms has a couple of tips to keep in mind this spring, including:
• Start slowly applying your brakes early. It takes only 5 seconds for a vehicle traveling 55 miles per hour to close a 100-yard gap with a tractor moving only 15 miles per hour.
• A good rule of thumb when following farm equipment is to stay back at least 50 feet.
• Don’t assume that a farm vehicle that pulls to the right side of the road will turn right or let the vehicle pass. Tractors pulling an implement make wide turns.
• Speak with young drivers about safety, especially if they are new to the road. Rowland says, “Some drivers may not know the proper procedure when approaching a farm vehicle.”
• Vehicle collisions most commonly occur between 4 and 8 p.m. This four-hour stretch often means an increased activity on the road, as many make their way home from work, run errands, attend community activities and shuttle children home from school and extracurricular activities.
“If farmers and drivers work together and safely share the road, we can reduce accidents and ensure that everyone gets a chance to enjoy the warmer days ahead,” said Rowland.
