It’s harvest season and traffic will be moving slower. Therefore, the Illinois State Police is urging motorists to drive safely and be alert on rural roadways this harvest season.
Illinois State Police District 12 Commander, Captain Cory Ristvedt stated, “Drivers should remain especially alert during harvest. The Illinois State Police wants this to be a safe season for all”. While being prepared to slow down when approaching a farm vehicle is important, the Illinois State Police have released additional harvest season travel tips to make this season a safe one travel-wise.
- Farm equipment, which travels at speeds of 25 mph or less, is
required to have a slow moving vehicle emblem (bright orange triangle)
mounted to the rear of the vehicle. - If traffic begins to back up behind the farm equipment, the
operator should pull over in a safe location and allow traffic to pass. - Farmers should avoid movements of farm equipment prior to sunrise
and after sunset. Visibility is limited during these times. - Even if the farm equipment operator motions for you to pass,
motorists should not attempt to pass farm equipment unless it is legal and
safe to do so. - Remember, most farm equipment does not have turn signals.
Often-times crashes between farm equipment and passenger vehicles occur as
the farm equipment is making a left turn and a passenger vehicle is passing
the farm equipment on the left. - Anytime you approach farm equipment you should slow down. Even
vehicles approaching from the opposite direction should slow down. Farm
equipment may be over-width and encroaching into the opposite lane of
travel. - When approaching farm equipment traveling in the opposite
direction, be alert for impatient drivers passing at the wrong time. - As always, keep a safe speed, maintain a safe following distance,
do not drive distracted, and be patient.
Following these tips will allow this harvest season to be a safe and travel-friendly season.