Michigan Farm Bureau: Please share the road with harvest equipment
MICHIGAN — The Michigan Farm Bureau is asking drivers to share the road with farm equipment to reduce crashes.
In a release Wednesday, Oct. 18, the MFB said there's often more farm machinery on the road as harvest season rolls in. The organization asks drivers watch for any equipment that has an orange triangle on the back — which is a slow-moving vehicle sign.
Crashes involving farm equipment rose from 195 in 2021 to 214 in 2022, according to the Michigan State Police 2022 Statewide Traffic Crash Report. That's nearly a 10 percent increase year-over-year. Four of the crashes in 2022 were fatal.
"If you’re driving 55 miles an hour, it only takes about five seconds to travel the length of a football field and catch up to a piece of equipment going 15 miles an hour," said MFB Legislative Counsel Andrew Vermeesch. "That’s why it’s critical to be attentive and be ready to slow down."
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If drivers are behind farm equipment, drivers are advised to slow down and pass only when it’s safe to do so. Farmers try their best to stay close to the shoulder of the road, but they may have to merge over to avoid hitting items like mailboxes.
MFB also reminds drivers that farm machinery doesn’t turn like a car, so farmers may need to make a wide turn occasionally.
"We all want to get our work done safely and get back home safely to our families, and we can do it — together," Vermeesch said.
— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Michigan Farm Bureau: Please share the road with harvest equipment
