(SOUTHERN BRUCE COUNTY, ON) Most farm vehicles are considerably larger and heavier than other traffic on area roads. With these vehicles travelling between 30-40 km/h and other vehicles travelling 80-90 km/h on the same road, drivers need to concentrate on their driving to avoid a potential collision. The following tips will help you safely share the road with farm equipment:
Recognize slow moving vehicles by the orange triangle and use caution.
Realize that farm vehicles travel around 35 km/h. Slow down when you see them on the road and be prepared to stop.
Watch for left turns. Not all farm vehicles have turn signals, watch for farmers signalling a turn using the same hand signals as a bicycle rider.
Be aware that farmers with long or broad equipment sometimes need to make wide turns. If a tractor swings right, be careful, it may be starting a left turn.
The farmer may be unable to pull off the road due to equipment weight or shoulder issues. Wait for a safe opportunity to pass.
Leave a wide berth when passing. Some farm equipment takes up more than one lane and some pieces of equipment have pieces protruding that can be hard to see.
When finished passing, don’t stop or slow down in front of the farm vehicle. Large equipment can’t brake as quickly as a car.
Be courteous with farm vehicle operators, treat them as you would any other vehicle driver on the road. Aggressive driving is dangerous and illegal; violators should be reported to police.