Road Safety for Tractors

I am a very impatient driver and might not always stay as cool as I should when there is a hold up in traffic. Depending on where you live, you are likely to be either sharing the road with a tractor or you may be the farmer struggling to safely share the road with other vehicles. No matter which role you play in this dilemma, here are some handy tips on sharing the road from the American Farm Bureau Federation:

1. When you first see a tractor or combine on the road, your first instinct should be to slow down. For the most part tractors and combines top speed is 20-24 miles per hour. That means that a car traveling at 55 mph can overtake and close a gap of 300 foot with a tractor running 15 mph in about five seconds.

2. Look for a place to pull over. I personally had rather pull my tractor over and allow the motorist to drive past. If you choose to pull over make sure that you do not stop in front of mailboxes, road signs and utility poles.

3. Farmers should be courteous to motorist and allow them to pass when safe. Slow down and/or pull your tractor over to allow for passing.

4. All parties need to be patient. Farmers have an important job to do and we are not on the roadway to inconvenience motorist. We want to arrive to the field as quickly and as safely as possible.

5. When traveling on two lane roads beware that just around the next corner a slow moving tractor could be waiting. For your safety and mine, do not use these roads to practice for the Indianapolis 500. Source:The Voice of Agriculture

Keep safe!
Where is the craziest place you have ever driven your tractor to?