(SOUTHERN BRUCE COUNTY, ON.) – With harvest time approaching, the South Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) wants drivers to start thinking about sharing the road with farm vehicles. An increasing number of farmers are operating from more than one site, which increases the amount of time that farm vehicles are on the road. The number of licenced drivers is also increasing each year which means there are more vehicles on the road. With farm vehicles travelling 30-40 km/h and motorists travelling 80 km/h, or more, on the same road, the South Bruce OPP is offering the following safety tips:
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 farm equipment on the road and be prepared to stop.
Watch for left turns. Not all farm vehicles have turn signals – watch for farmer’s 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 a wide turn. 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 isn’t just unsafe, it’s against the law. Aggressive drivers should be reported to police.
The South Bruce OPP is requesting anyone with information that can assist police to call 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or send a web-tip to crimestop-gb.org, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
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