Editorial: Rural Road Safety is key to supporting local farmers
By Jim Minner
Kent County Farm Bureau President
How many times have you gotten behind farm equipment or another Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) and grumbled or complained? As a farmer, I get it. But here’s the thing - farmers need to get from point A to point B, also!
I work with grains at Minner Farms in Felton. There are times when somebody from the farm has to leave the farm with a tractor or other farming equipment and must travel along our public roads. Now, as spring ends and summer begins, we’re seeing more and more farming equipment on the roads because harvest season has arrived!
Farmers need your support in understanding rural road safety so we can all arrive safely at the end of the day - motorists and farmers included. We need you to slow down around our equipment and give us a little space. The sooner we can safely get off the road, the quicker you can reach your destination, too.
Every SMV that typically travels 25 mph or less should be equipped with an SMV Emblem on the back. The SMV emblem is an orange triangular sign with a red border and should be found on the back of SMVs. At night, these emblems show a glowing red triangle, making it easier for passersby to notice the safety concern.
These emblems should tell motorists that the vehicle ahead is slower, might make wider turns and should be given extra space while on the road. Taking a deep breath and giving that vehicle extra time and space could save lives.
Motorists should also remember that it’s not a good idea to quickly pass the SMV. Some SMVs have to pull to the right side of the road in order to turn left. If passing an SMV is an option, motorists should wait for the SMV to pull off the road completely before passing. On the other hand, drivers pulling over to let the farmer pass is a great thing. This happens quite often in my area west of Route 13. It becomes a problem, however, when drivers pull over next to a mailbox or a road sign, leaving me blocked so I can’t get by anyway. Please be observant of your surroundings when meeting farm equipment on the road.
Some of the larger SMVs might have a trail, or a shadow, vehicle following behind the farm equipment with flashing lights. Please let that vehicle follow the equipment being transported. Don’t separate it from the equipment it is following. This happens all of the time at 4-way stops. The trailing vehicle is our safety net for our equipment. The driver in the trailing vehicle knows what we are doing and where we are going. They have better signaling capabilities to the surrounding drivers than we do on the equipment.
Local driving laws can also keep drivers and farmers safer during harvest months. For example, driving without distraction is a must when it comes to rural road safety. We have to remember that even though it only takes a second to look at our phones, that one second could be crucial in avoiding a deadly collision with farm equipment that is much larger than a car or SUV. Pull over to have your conversation or text a friend - it will save lives.
The best thing you can do is to be aware of your surroundings and remember that the driver of the SMV may not be able to see you. Please slow down during harvest season. Support our farmers by giving extra space when needed and understand that they are trying to reach their next goal just like you.
Keeping everyone safe on the road is a group effort. For more information on rural road safety or the Delaware Farm Bureau, visit www.defb.org.
###
