ILLINOIS STATE POLICE
Hiram Grau - Director
NEWS
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT |
| Date: October 4, 2012 | Trooper Mike Link |
| Time: 9:41 a.m. | 618.346.3524 - Office |
| 618.973.3050 - Cell | |
| mike.link@isp.state.il.us |
Illinois State Police Stresses Road Safety During Harvest Season
Both Motorists and Farmers are Urged to be Watchful While Sharing the Road
COLLINSVILLE, IL – The harvest season is here. Illinois State Police District 11 Commander, Captain Brad Parsons, reminds motorists to use caution while traveling on our rural roadways.
As farmers move equipment from field to field they will be traveling at much slower speeds than the rest of the motoring public. Drivers should be aware of farm vehicles and prepare to slow down when encountering them.
Here are some harvest season safety tips:
- Farm equipment, which travels at speeds of 25 mph or less, is required to have a slow moving vehicle emblem (bright orange triangle) mounted to the rear of the vehicle.
- If traffic begins to back up behind the farm equipment, the operator should pull over in a safe location and allow traffic to pass.
- Farmers should avoid movements of farm equipment at sunrise and sunset as visibility is more limited during these times.
- Motorists should not attempt to pass farm equipment unless it is legal and safe to do so, even if the farm equipment operator waves you around.
- As you prepare to pass farm equipment remember most do not have turn signals. Many crashes with farm equipment occur as they are making a left turn and a faster vehicle is passing them.
- Anytime you approach farm equipment you should slow down. Even vehicles approaching from the opposite direction should slow down. The farm equipment may be over-width and encroaching into the opposite lane of travel.
- When approaching farm equipment traveling in the opposite direction, be alert for impatient drivers passing at the wrong time.
- As always, keep a safe speed, maintain a safe following distance, do not drive distracted and be patient.
“Farm equipment and motor vehicles both have a right to be on the roadway,” stated Captain Parsons. “Safety during the harvest season is a joint responsibility. Farmers and motorists need to remember to be patient and courteous while sharing the roads,” he continued.
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One Driving Fatality is One too Many and the Illinois State Police is Committed to Driving Zero Fatalities to a Reality
www.isp.state.il.us / TDD: 1-800-255-3323
