Coalition of Farm and Traffic Safety Groups Asking Drivers to be Cautious of Farm Equipment During National Farm Safety Week
Monday, September 21st, 2015 -- 8:18 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Between school buses and farm equipment, motorists in rural Wisconsin are seeing more activity on local roads and highways these days.As a result, a coalition of farm and traffic safety groups are asking drivers to be more cautious. The week of September 21 is National Farm Safety Week to make farmers and motorists more cautious during the harvest season. Cheryl Skjolaas, an agricultural safety specialist with the Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, says new Wisconsin traffic rules that are in effect make it illegal for a motorist to pass farm machinery in a no passing zone.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation reports that in the past two years, there were 345 Wisconsin traffic crashes involving farm machines. The DOT has recorded about 1,400 such mishaps in the state over the past 10 years, causing 708 injuries and 25 fatalities.
Motorists are asked to be patient when encountering farm machinery on the road. They should only pass farm machinery when in a passing zone and when it is safe to pass. Farmers are asked to have proper SMV signs and lighting. They should also check blinds spots before crossing roadways and making turns on roads.
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