Farmers are in the midst of their busiest time, and road users should be extra cautious due to increased farm vehicle activity during the harvest season.
As the harvest season approaches, car and motorcycle drivers must be particularly cautious when sharing the road with agricultural vehicles. These large machines, which can be over ten meters long, often take up more than half of the lane due to their size.
To ensure a safe journey for everyone, here are some key guidelines to follow:
- Be patient and slow down: Approaching farm equipment requires extra caution as it moves much slower than regular traffic. Always allow for more space on narrow rural roads.
- Overtake farm vehicles only when safe, legal, and with clear visibility: Wait for a long, straight stretch of road and pass cautiously, leaving plenty of space given the large size and slow speed of equipment.
- Increase visibility: Farm vehicles typically display Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblems and have lighting to make them easier to see. Drivers should ensure they "see and be seen."
- Avoid hazards known as "farmer's ice," which is mud and organic material from tractor or combine tires deposited on the road surface that becomes slick when wet and resembles ice. This can cause tires to slip unexpectedly, especially when braking or turning.
- Keep a safe following distance behind agricultural machinery to allow for sudden stops or turns, and to avoid road debris.
- Be aware of farm equipment often operating early morning, dusk, or nighttime hours — use headlights and be extra vigilant during poor visibility conditions.
- Use a spotter when backing or maneuvering farm vehicles near the road to prevent collisions with passing cars, whenever possible.
- Watch out for lost harvest residues or clods of earth on the road, which can impair tire grip.
- Seed in curves can be dangerous for motorcycle drivers, as they act like soap.
- Following and oncoming road users should keep a sufficient distance, if necessary stop, and not overtake when agricultural vehicles are turning.
- Combine harvesters, tractors, and tractor-trailer combinations are currently on the roads.
- Drivers of agricultural vehicles often lack all-around visibility, so overtaking road users are usually only noticed very late.
- Even if vehicles are cleaned before transitioning to paved roads, dirt can fall onto the road unnoticed and increase the risk of accidents due to slipperiness.
- Agricultural vehicles often turn onto unpaved roads that are unknown to following drivers.
- According to the Road Traffic Regulations, the cause of the pollution is obliged to clean up afterwards, but in reality, it usually looks different.
By maintaining patience, respecting the space these large machines require, overtaking safely only in suitable conditions, and watching for slippery "farmer’s ice," drivers and farmers can share rural roads safely during the busy harvest season.
- After ensuring a safe and clean transition onto paved roads, agricultural vehicle drivers should be mindful of their lifestyle, considering the home-and-garden needs of local residents.
- To create a harmonious home-and-garden environment, especially during the harvest season, it's crucial for car and motorcycle drivers to adapt their driving habits to accommodate the slow pace of agricultural vehicles.
