Drive safely — it's planting season

Farmer have been able to start planting fields of corn and soybean in the area. Fields are drying sooner than most years because the subsoil has not recharged from last summer's drought and the excessive windy conditions are quickly drying the soil surface. The weather forecast for the next several weeks indicates farmers will have opportunities for consecutive days suitable for planting. This is good news for local farmers — fields that get planted before May 10 generally have larger yields than fields planted later in the season. To meet this goal, farmers will work long days to get things done in the shortest amount of time, which means a large amount of farm equipment will be on the roads. The combination of motorists driving in the country and farmers moving equipment can often cause problems on rural roads. Motorists need to realize that farm equipment is much larger today and farmers need to realize that there are more vehicles on the road than years past. Every year in Ohio, over 500 tractor and machinery roadway crashes occur resulting in property damage, injuries and deaths. To reduce this number of crashes, the OSU Extension Agricultural Safety and Health Team, https://agsafety.osu.edu/ recommends the following tips for farmers and motorists. For farmers Ensure all tractors and equipment less than 25mph are equipped with clean and unfaded Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblem before transport. Move equipment legally using proper transport modes. When possible, move equipment in off-peak hours or on low traffic routes. Using escort vehicles in the front or back of the machinery can assist when in heavy traffic. Use discretion when pulling to the side of the road to allow motorists to pass. Obey traffic laws including signs, signals, and speed limits. Slow down on turns and curves. Hitch equipment properly to the drawbar or appropriate hitch points with the correct size pins. For motorists Be alert and look for flashing lights and Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblems on tractors and machinery. Slow down as soon as you spot farm equipment. Think about closure time when coming up behind slow moving vehicles. In less than 7 seconds, a motor vehicle traveling 55 mph will close 400 feet behind a tractor traveling 15 mph. Do not speed past farm equipment. Only pass when it is legal and safe to do so. It is often difficult for large equipment operators to see traffic coming from behind. When meeting equipment (in either direction), watch for any obstructions like guardrails, mailboxes, and road signs that may prevent the machinery from moving closer to the road shoulder. If equipment has pulled over onto the shoulder, do not assume it will stay there; it may be making a wide left turn. Do not stop or pull out in front of equipment with a Slow Moving Vehicle emblem. When passing farm equipment, make sure you can see the lights on the left and right of the tractor before moving back into the lane of travel. By following these recommendations and the laws of Ohio, motorists should be able to share the roads safely with farmers and their equipment.