It is that time of year when driving in northeast Ohio can get more complicated. School buses are back. Deer and other wildlife are out preparing for winter. And, big, often slow moving, farm vehicles are on the roads for the harvest.
Tractors, combines and farm wagons all tend to be going 15 mph or less, and that’s the problem. So says DavidMarrison, director of the Ohio StateAshtabulaCounty Extensionand an expert on farm vehicle safety.
“I don’t think most motorists understand how fast you can approach a tractor from a distance. A car traveling f55 mph, not speeding, can overtake and close a gap of 300 feet -- the length of a football field --with a tractor going 15 mph in just 5 seconds.”
Speed differential
That’s why most accidents with farm vehicles on the road involve rear-end collisions or sideswipes as drivers try to swerve when they can’t stop.Marrisonsays the key to safety on rural roads is driver attentiveness.
Right to theroad
Healso say it helps to expect agricultural vehicles to be out. To remember that theydohave a right to be on the road. And to recognize that they aren’t delaying you all that much.
“The farmers are working hard, and we both have to share the roads at this time. And, you may think that you’re sitting there behind them forever, but you’re really not. The average time that have to spend behind a farm vehicle as its going down the road is no longer than what it would take you to stop at two stop lights in the middle of a town.”
Marrisonalso stresses the importance of avoiding driving distractions, like talking on cell phones or texting.
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