Farm activity is picking up as farmers are busy preparing and planting for the upcoming season. That means drivers may come across farm equipment and tractors on the road. Slow down, be patient and share the road with farm equipment to be sure everyone stays safe.
- Activities are picking up on farms across the state as farmers and farm workers are plowing fields, prepping plants and moving equipment from one field to another.
- All that activity means there are more opportunities for non-farm vehicle drivers to encounter farm equipment and tractors on the roads.
- Trust me, farmers would rather be in the field than be on the road, but it’s part of the job since many farmers have fields that are not all connected.
- Watching out for farm equipment on the road and slowing down is very important because we have already seen one fatality in North Carolina this year from a collision between a farm tractor and tanker truck that happened in Chowan County.
- Accidents can happen if a non-farm vehicle comes up on a piece of farm machinery too quickly as it can take just seconds to close the gap between the two and when attempting to pass farm equipment.
- If you are driving in an area where you see a yellow warning traffic sign for Farm Machinery, pay extra close attention. Those signs are designed to give drivers a heads up that farmers may be on the road.
- Traffic accidents involving farm equipment are unfortunately not uncommon.
- From 2015-2019, there were 1,000 accidents involving farm equipment and non-farm vehicles, which averaged out to over 200 a year.
- The top counties for farm vehicle accidents during that period were Wake, Guilford, Johnston, Sampson and Wayne.
- And, if you think about it, it makes sense as development has made housing and farms pretty close neighbors in a lot of suburban areas. That puts a lot more traffic on roads where farming is taking place.
- You will more than likely find farm equipment on the road early in the mornings or late in the evenings, so please be careful on the roads when traveling through farming areas.
- A good rule of thumb is slow down, be patient and share the road.