Harvest Season and Slow Moving Farm Equipment

(Huron County, ON) Motorists are being reminded that we’re in the middle of harvest season. At any time while driving on a rural road you may encounter an oversized farm vehicle.

Both motorists and farmers are responsible for ensuring the safe movement of all traffic on the roadways during this hectic harvest time. We understand the fact that farmers are working day and night right now to complete their harvest but despite the busy times, there are rules that still need to be followed to prevent collisions.

The Highway Traffic Act 1990 Regulation 603 pertains to over-dimensional farm vehicles.

Every over-dimensional farm vehicle being driven or drawn on a highway from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise or at any other time when there is insufficient light or unfavourable atmospheric conditions that make the vehicle difficult to see at a distance of 150 meters or less, shall carry a lamp at each side of the front and at each side of the rear which produce intermittent flashes of amber light and are visible from a distance of 150 metres from either the front or the rear of the farm vehicle. The lights are to be placed not more than 150 millimetres from the side of the permanent structure of the vehicle. The reason for this is that motorists often have difficulty seeing how wide a farm vehicle is – especially during poor lighting conditions. The only time this rule does not apply is if the farm vehicle is directly crossing the highway.

Every over-dimensional farm vehicle that is wider than 3.8 metres and is being driven or drawn on a highway from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise or at any other time when there is insufficient light or unfavourable atmospheric conditions that make the vehicle difficult to see at a distance of 150 metres or less, shall be equipped with an illuminated rotating amber light mounted on the uppermost part of the vehicle and producing intermittent flashes of amber light visible at a distance of 150 metres to the front and to the rear. The only time this rule does not apply is when the over-dimensional farm vehicle does not exceed 4.8 metres in width while being driven or drawn on the highway and it is being led and followed by escort vehicles at a distance of approximately 60 metres.

Every over-dimensional farm vehicle that exceeds 3.8 metres in width that is being driven or drawn on a highway at times other than one half hour after sunset to one half hour before sunrise shall have either a lamp at each side of the front and at each side of the rear which produce intermittent flashes of amber light and are visible from a distance of 150 metres from either the front or the rear of the farm vehicle or it shall have an illuminated rotating amber light mounted on the uppermost part of the vehicle and producing intermittent flashes of amber light visible at a distance of 150 metres to the front and to the rear.

If the over-dimensional farm vehicle that is being driven or drawn on the highway is wider than 4.8 metres and it is out during the timeframe of one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise or at any other time when there is insufficient light or unfavourable atmospheric conditions that make the vehicle difficult to see at a distance of 150 metres or less shall be led and followed by escort vehicles at a distance of approximately 60 metres. The only time this rule does not apply is if the farm vehicle is directly crossing the highway.

Farmers that operate a self propelled farm vehicle, such as a combine, are advised that the vehicle needs to be made as compact as possible prior to moving onto the highway. In the case of a combine, the header should be removed and towed to minimize the width of the vehicle. If this is not done, the operator could be charged with operating an over-dimensional vehicle.

Slow Moving Vehicle signs are required by law if you are operating a farm vehicle on a highway. Remember that the fastest a vehicle can travel while using a slow moving vehicle sign is 40 kph.

The bottom line is that motorists need to see the farm vehicle clearly and be able to determine how wide the vehicle is prior to colliding with it.

Motorists please remember that harvest time is a necessary time. At many different times you may be momentarily detained by a farm vehicle as you travel the rural roads of Huron County but we ask that all people on the road be patient and respectful of each other to minimize problems.

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