| JUNE 7, 2011 -- A Connecticut farmer was traveling home on his tractor at dusk one evening after a long day of working in his fields. The next thing he knew he was being thrown from his tractor seat. Disoriented, he found himself on the pavement, underneath his severely damaged tractor. His initial reaction was that there had been some mechanical failure to the rear axle of the tractor that had caused his near fatal accident. What had actually caused the accident was a passing passenger car that had misjudged the speed and width of the tractor, hit the rear tire of the tractor, and then nearly collided with an oncoming vehicle approaching in the opposite lane. Miraculously no one was killed in the accident. The farmer incurred severe bruising and the loss of his farm machinery. When emergency help arrived the flashing lights on the rear of the mangled farm tractor were still flashing.
Spring is one of the busiest times of year for area farmers. Fragmentation and loss of available farmland find area farmers having to travel on public roads to fields owned and leased throughout their communities. What can area farmers, and the general public, do to assure farm vehicle safety on our pubic roads?
The average farm tractor has a maximum speed of 18 mph. Tractors are at least eight feet in width, and often wider, with the rear tires exceeding the width of the fenders. In the spring, tractors can be seen pulling plows that are routinely wider than the tractor itself. Throughout the summer and fall, tractors can be seen pulling hay wagons and other farm implements.
For your safety, be on the look out for tractors, planters, and other farm equipment this spring. By law, all farm tractors and self propelled unit for farm equipment must be equipped with two single-beam or multiple-beam head lamps and at least two red lamps. All farm equipment that travels on the road should also be equipped with flashing lights and a Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) orange reflective triangle.
Let’s keep our Connecticut farmers and yourself safe throughout this year’s growing season. Be on the look out for slow moving farm equipment and play it safe when looking to pass.
Joan Nichols is Government Relations Specialist for Connecticut Farm Bureau, the “Voice of Connecticut Agriculture.” For more information visit www.cfba.org or contact Joan Nichols direct at 860 768-1105. |
