CAMDEN, Del. — Fall is a beautiful time of year in Delaware. For farmers, it is harvest time, involving long, busy hours working hard to bring in the crops. Out of necessity, farmers are on the roadways moving large tractors, trailers and other large equipment at any time of day, sometimes until late at night and on weekends, too. We need to help them be safe by paying attention, at all times, and being aware of their presence on the roadways.
Watch for slow-moving vehicles. That orange triangle is not simply a reflector; it is a warning to slow down. Flashing orange or yellow lights or a pilot vehicle in front of or behind also serve to remind you that this equipment is moving very slowly. If you are driving 55 miles per hour and come upon a tractor that is moving at 15 miles per hour, it only takes 5 seconds to close a gap the length of a football field between it and you.
The farmer could be preparing to make a turn and needs just a few minutes of your patience while maneuvering his very large equipment into a field or farm lane. Watch for hand signals, turn signals or other signs that a slow-moving vehicle is preparing to turn. Do not assume a farmer is pulling to the right to let you pass. Some equipment requires a wide left-hand turn.
Shoulders may be soft, wet or steep and are often obstructed by mailboxes and road signs. Pulling off the road could cause the farm vehicle to tip.
Never assume the driver of farm equipment knows you are there. Most operators of farm equipment regularly check to see if there is traffic behind them. However, the farmer must concentrate on the road ahead to keep the equipment safely on the road, and to watch for oncoming traffic.
Always use caution when passing. Do not pass unless you can see clearly ahead of both your vehicle and the vehicle you will pass. Do not pass if there is a curve or hill ahead. Do not pass in a “no passing zone” or within 100 feet of any intersection, railroad grade crossing, bridge, elevation structure or tunnel.
Look for DelDOT’s digital messages on Route 1 and Delaware Farm Bureau’s safety signs on rural roads alerting you to slow down, and be alert for farmers working in the area.
Delaware Farm Bureau wants to keep you, the motorists and our farmers safe while using the roads. Delaware farmers are working hard to feed not only you, but the world! So, let’s keep “road safety” our No. 1 priority while traveling the roads this fall.
— June Unruh,
Delaware Farm Bureau