09/09/2025
Early bean harvest will start as soon as this weekend. Here are few tips when traveling in rural areas. We wish everyone a safe and successful harvest season. Thank you Farmers!
1) Be patient. Farmers are just trying to do their jobs and will pull over when they can safely do so. Rushing them is dangerous and inconsiderate.
2) Slow down. Most farm equipment travels at 25 mph or less. If you are driving 55 mph, you can close a football-field-length gap in just five seconds. Reduce your speed as soon as you see a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem—the red-and-orange triangular sign.
3) Allow more space. Give farm equipment plenty of room both when following and when passing. Some equipment can be very wide and take up most of the road, and the operator's blind spots are much larger.
4) Pass with caution. Wait for a legal and safe passing zone, and be extremely cautious. A farmer may slow down and pull to the right to make a wide left-hand turn, not to let you pass. Look for turn signals or hand signals, and watch for field entrances.
5) Be aware of your surroundings. Tall crops can create blind spots at intersections and entrances to fields. Watch for mud or debris on the road that may have come off equipment.
6) Limit distractions. Pay full attention to your driving and avoid cell phone use. This is especially important during dusk and dawn, when visibility is lower.
