Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
8-31-99
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Charles Schwab, ISU Extension Safety Specialist, (515)
294-6360, cvschwab@iastate.edu
Laura Miller, Extension Safe Farm, (515) 294-4802, lwmiller@iastate.edu
Sharing the Road with Agricultural Equipment
AMES, Iowa -- Getting grain harvested and in from the field can be dangerous work, but doing it in traffic on Iowa's highways and county roads extends the hazards to other drivers and their passengers.
Analysis of reports kept by the Iowa Department of Transportation shows that Iowa has averaged 300 agricultural collisions each year between 1994 and 1997. More than 25 percent of all collisions happened in October as part of harvest activity.
The most likely types of collisions are left-turn and rear-end collisions. The left-turn collision happens when the farm vehicle is about to make a wide left turn and the vehicle behind begins to pass. The second most common incident is the rear-end collision, where another vehicle approaches farm equipment and is unable to slow down to avoid a collision. These incidents usually happen between 3 and 6 p.m.
Charles Schwab, Iowa State University Extension farm safety specialist, says proper lighting and marking for farm vehicles is only half of the solution. Other drivers also must heed the signs and be on the lookout for farm traffic, especially in the weeks ahead.
According to the National Safety Council, at least 43 percent of all deaths from unintentional injuries are caused by motor vehicles. Higher speeds used on rural roads, changeable conditions and a variety of traffic all contribute to these injuries. In Iowa, motorists also must be aware of farm traffic, which can be difficult to spot, plus it usually travels at much slower speeds than normal traffic, Schwab adds.
"Motorists may be unfamiliar with the outlines of farm equipment, especially at dusk when operators are returning from fields. Unfamiliarity can cause a split-second delay in reaction that, in many cases, can lead to a collision," he says.
Schwab offers these defensive-driving tips for rural roads this fall:
* As soon as you see a slow-moving vehicle, brake as if you were approaching a stop sign.
* Stay a safe distance behind farm vehicles.
* Look for hand signals from the farm vehicle operator.
* When passing, make sure you can see the farm vehicle in your rearview mirror before you get back in your lane.
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.