This post was originally published on www.statefarm.com
Driving on rural roads may leave a driver with feeling safe and relaxed but their perceptions may be unfounded. Many factors make country roads risky. One of the big problems? Drivers’ inexperience sharing the road with large farm vehicles.
How to safely drive around farm vehicles
- Drive defensively, especially during planting and harvest seasons. Recognizing that you’re in an agricultural environment and being alert will help you avoid dangerous situations as much as possible.
- Slow down. Farm vehicles often travel at slow speeds. To reduce the risk of a collision, begin braking when you see the slow-moving vehicle emblem. Also stay a safe distance back — around 50 feet.
- Pass carefully. Take the standard precautions: Wait for a safe passing zone, watch for oncoming traffic, signal and return to the lane once the vehicle is in your rearview mirror. If the vehicle is extra-wide, wait to pass until the driver pulls over and signals that it’s safe. Honk your horn beforehand in case the driver can’t see you.
- Yield. Give a wide farm vehicle the right-of-way when it’s traveling the opposite direction. Farm vehicles can’t always pull over to the road’s shoulder safely. If possible, pull onto the shoulder or into a turn-out to allow the farm vehicle to pass.
- Be patient. A driver may appear to be pulling to the right to let you pass when he or she is actually making a wide left-hand turn. Before speeding past, look for driveways, roads or fields where the vehicle might be entering. Also check for hand gestures or lights signaling the driver’s intention to turn. Know the basics. Following the speed limit and wearing your safety belt is just as important in the country as it is on city streets.
- Take a second look. Before you pull into an intersection or make a move to pass, be sure your path is clear in all directions. Tall crops can create “blind” corners, and farm vehicles could enter the roadway from unmarked access drives on the fields.
- Follow the rules. In general, farm vehicle operators must follow the same rules of the road as car drivers when they are on the road. Farm vehicles will have the right of way in a situation if a car would have had the right of way.
Learn more about sharing the road with other vehicles, such as motorcycles, bicycles and school buses with tips from State Farm®.
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