Road safety at harvest time

It’s harvest time, and farmers are responsible for contributing to safer highways by how they transport equipment, the times of the day they transport equipment, and that they recognize there are impatient people. Non-farm drivers are not always accustomed to seeing farm implements on the road and may not realize how slow a tractor is going until it’s too late.

Josie Rudolphi is an assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Illinois. She recommends using an escort vehicle to add a safety net between farm equipment and other traffic on the road.

"It does require an extra driver and an extra vehicle, and we know that’s not always an option for farmers who may be working independently, but the use of an escort vehicle is really valuable," says Rudolphi. "This person can drive up a half mile or a mile in front of the slow-moving vehicle to ensure that there’s nothing big or obstructive on the road. They could also follow the vehicle and create what would we consider a bit of a barrier between the very slow-moving vehicle and on-coming traffic."

She says to make sure traffic can see you by using reflective tape, slow moving vehicle signs, and flashing lights. And keep your windows clean so you can see what’s going on around you.

"We certainly tend to travel during that twilight hour, that golden hour early in the morning and towards late evening. And our view can really be obstructed by dust or other types of debris on our windows," she says. "We certainly don’t want any type of blind spots or anything to keep us from seeing what’s out there."

If you can, stay off the roads during peak travel times of folks going to and from work and school. That’s about 7-9am in the morning and 4-6pm in the late afternoon.