Mar 20, 2024 By Karen Mansfield 3 min read

MetroCreative

The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is urging drivers to be aware of tractors and farm equipment on the roads during spring planting.

Pennsylvania farmers are returning to their fields for spring plowing and planting, which means more large farm equipment and tractors will be on the roads.

And while it may be tempting to drive around farm vehicles, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is urging drivers to just be patient.

The bureau, in a joint effort with state police and the state departments of Agriculture and Transportation, is spreading the message of staying safe on rural roads during the height of the spring planting season.

According to preliminary PennDOT data, there were 83 crashes involving farm equipment on Pennsylvania roads in 2023, resulting in 2 fatalities and 6 suspected serious injuries. In total, there were 33,356 crashes on rural Pennsylvania roads last year, resulting in 607 fatalities, further underscoring the need for safety on rural roads.

“Farmers make the safety of other motorists a top priority when we must move equipment on the roadway and we ask that drivers help keep us safe as well,” said Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Chris Hoffman. “We don’t want to cause an inconvenience to anyone and will often pull over to allow others to pass when it’s safe to do so. We just ask that drivers remain patient when following farm equipment and keep a safe distance. By slowing down and using caution and commonsense, drivers can avoid costly crashes and save lives.”

Pennsylvania has more rural roads than any other state in the country. It has over 52,000 farms and 7.3 million acres of farmland adjacent to many rural roads throughout the state, according to the farm bureau. During springtime, drivers should expect to encounter all types of farm machinery traveling on these roads.

Drivers are advised not to drive impaired or distracted, to slow down, and to wear their seatbelts.

Farm equipment can legally be operated on roadways, including at night, but farmers are required to follow certain safety guidelines depending on the size of equipment. All farm equipment that travels at speeds less than 25 miles per hour is required to have a slow-moving vehicle emblem (an orange triangle with red outline) on the back of their equipment.

If drivers see the slow-moving vehicle emblem, it is a sign to slow down immediately. It takes only five seconds to close a gap the length of a football field if a vehicle is driving 55 miles per hour and a tractor is moving at 15 miles per hour, according to the farm bureau.

Drivers should be alert that farm equipment may be turning at an unexpected place, such as into a field, and may be making a wide left turn if it pulls to the right. Always be sure the oncoming lane is clear and visible before passing large equipment and never pass in a no-passing zone or within 100 feet of any intersection, railroad grade crossing, bridge, elevated structure or tunnel.