SILVER SPRINGS, N.Y. — New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association-Soybean Checkoff, with support from the Maryland Soybean Board and the United Soybean Board, is partnering in the “Find Me Driving” road safety campaign to raise motorists’ awareness of farm equipment drivers on the roads this spring.
“As rural accidents are increasing in number with greater physical and economic losses, the Maryland Soybean Board proactively identified farm vehicle road safety awareness as a priority,” commented Belinda Burrier, MSB Chair and USB Director. “We are delighted that our fellow soybean organizations are joining in this safety initiative.”
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only 30% of the total vehicle miles traveled in 2017 were in rural areas, yet 46% of all traffic fatalities in 2017 occurred in rural areas. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the U.S. was 2.1 times higher in rural areas than urban areas. Every state reported a higher percent of rural area fatalities than urban areas.
“We applaud the Maryland Soybean Board for initiating the campaign on this important safety issue to help increase New York motorists’ awareness of farmers on roadways,” said Colleen Klein, Executive Director. “These helpful resources are available for everyone to use to learn about what to look for on rural roads and how to prepare for safely navigating rural roads in our region. As farm planting season activity increases, drivers can increase awareness to help prevent accidents.”
Online Find Me Driving campaign resources feature SAM, the campaign’s mascot, whose name means ‘Slow down, Assess your surroundings, Move with caution’ and resembles the high-reflectance slow moving vehicle triangle emblem required on all vehicles traveling under 25 mph. Visitors to the site can find tips about how to safely drive when encountering farm equipment and encourages motorists to look for the bright orange triangle on tractors, combines, maintenance trucks and other large, slow-moving vehicles. Resources also include lighting and marking guidelines for farm equipment, as well as tips when driving slow moving vehicles in traffic.
“New York is home to more than 33,400 farms and this time of year, our farmers are planting crops across the state using large, slow-moving machinery that sometimes needs to be on roads with fast-moving cars and trucks,” said Colleen. “Our state is home to more that 19 million people. This increases the chances our motorists will encounter farm vehicles and equipment on public roads. We want drivers to be prepared and arrive home safe.”
About the New York Soybean Checkoff: With a value of $89 million to the state’s economy, soybeans are one of New York’s top crops. The New York Soybean Checkoff works to maximize the profitability of New York soybean producers by investing New York checkoff funds in research, promotion, and communication projects. Learn more about soybeans in New York by visiting www.nycornsoy.org.
About United Soybean Board: United Soybean Board’s 78 volunteer farmer-directors work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds in programs and partnerships to drive soybean innovation beyond the bushel and increase preference for U.S. soy. That preference is based on U.S. soybean meal and oil quality and the sustainability of U.S. soybean farmers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff. For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit unitedsoybean.org.
–New York Soybean Checkoff
United Soybean Board