Harvesters hitting the roads as well as the hay
Sep. 24—Harvest season is underway, bringing more farming vehicles not only out into fields but also onto area roads.
From mid-September through October, drivers can expect farm equipment on roadways as farmers move from field to field harvesting their crops. Law enforcement as well as farmers are urging drivers to be aware of slow-moving vehicles and to have patience during the harvest season.
"You're going to see a lot of equipment moving back and forth and up and down highways," said Tim Gach with the Buchanan County Farm Bureau. "We ask the public to be patient and understand that a farmer in a tractor pulling a large grain cart may or may not be able to see you right behind that grain cart. If you decide to pass and it happens to be the place where he wants to turn in the field, that can be very problematic."
Due to the size of their equipment, farmers have blind spots that can limit their view of nearby surroundings. Whether it's a tractor, combine or loader, all farm equipment should be approached cautiously as it's easier for other vehicles to collide with them due to how slow they move, Gach said.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, in 2022 there were 177 crashes in Missouri involving farm equipment. In those accidents, seven people were killed and 63 were injured.
Sgt. Shane Hux with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said many vehicles will be passing farm equipment on the roadways as the machinery often can only travel at up to 25 mph. Moving around farm vehicles should be done carefully to prevent these accidents and injuries.
"A lot of times farmers will pull over to the right side of the roadway only to make a left turn," Hux said. "That's why it's important for motorists to not only pay attention to the light signals that's on the farm machinery but also hand signals from farmers. Only pass when it's safe and if you have a clear view of the road ahead. Don't pass where it may be a hill, curve or bridges that's blocking your view. It isn't worth your life."
Gach said safety takes effort from all drivers on the road and farmers must make sure they are being vigilant as well.
"As farmers, we need to be aware of the public on the highways," he said. "Making sure that our assembly signs are visible, they're cleaned off and that we're running our flashers. It also helps if we can have someone running ahead of us or behind us with their hazards on to alert the people that there is farm equipment on the roads. If everyone gets along, everything goes fine."
Missouri state troopers said the public should also be aware that farmers will be commuting during different times of the day and may be on the roads late at night, making visibility difficult for everyone.
Jenna Wilson can be reached at jenna.wilson@newspressnow.com.
