hile driving on a rural road, you Be Patient may encounter farm equipment. In 2010, there were 78 accidents W and 5 fatalities in Pennsylvania This equipment comes in a variety of A farmer understands that your trip is being delayed, shapes and sizes. Sometimes you will see a single so he or she will pull off the road at the fi rst available involving farm equipment and other vehicles. vehicle, such as a tractor or combine. Other times safe location to allow you to pass. Don’t assume that the equipment will consist of a tractor with an the farmer can move aside to let you pass. Shoulders implement in tow. may be soft, wet, or steep, and this can cause the farm Farm equipment is designed to be used vehicle to tip, or they may not be able to support a heavy primarily in a fi eld and is not designed to travel at farm vehicle. *Statistics from PennDOT typical highway speeds. Most farm equipment is Pass with Caution designed to travel at speeds of 15-25 miles per Even if you have hour. Farm equipment may be wider than other to slow down to 20 mph If a farmer has pulled off the road to allow you to vehicles, and perhaps even wider than the lane of and follow a tractor for two miles, pass, or if the farmer cannot pull off the road and travel. However, farm equipment must be operated it takes only six minutes of your time, you feel you must pass, do so with caution. on highways in order to travel between a farm and which is approximately a fi eld or fi eld to fi eld. equivalent to waiting Be watchful of vehicles behind you that may also try to pass. Just as motorists are entitled to operate for two stoplights. their vehicles on public roadways, farmers are legally allowed to operate farm equipment on If you must enter the oncoming lane of traffi c, these same roadways. Caution, courtesy and Yield to Wide Vehicles do not pass unless you can see clearly ahead special attention to the following safety tips will of both you and the vehicle you will pass. help ensure the safety of motorists, passengers, Some farm equipment may be wider than the lane of and operators of slow-moving farm equipment. travel. If you approach a piece of wide farm equipment If there are any curves or hills ahead that traveling in the opposite direction and you cannot pass may block your view or the view of oncoming safely,sa stop. Then pull off the road or safely turn around vehicles, do not pass. If you’re driving 55 mph and come upon oror back-up to a location that will allow the equipment a tractor that’s moving 15 miles per hour, to pass you. Do not pass if you are in a designated “No it only takes Passing Zone” or within 100 feet of any gap the lengthfi ofve aseconds football to close a intersection, railroad grade crossing, bridge, between you and the tractor. Don’tD Assume that the Farmer elevated structure or tunnel. KnowsK You’re There fi eld Do not assume that a farm vehicle that pulls to Most operators of farm equipment will regularly the right side of the road is going to turn right Recognize the Slow Moving check to see if there is traffi c behind them. However, or is letting you pass. Due to the size of some the farmer must spend most of the time looking ahead farm implements, the farmer must execute wide Vehicle Emblem- to keep the equipment safely on the road, and to watch lefthand turns. If you are unsure, check the Brake Immediately! for oncoming traffi c. Also, most farm equipment is operator’s hand signals and check the left side very loud, and the farmer will probably not be able to of the road for gates, driveways or any place a When you see the slow moving vehicle (SMV) hear your vehicle. Therefore, do not assume that the farm vehicle might turn. emblem, you should immediately slow down. SMV farmer knows where your vehicle is located. Before emblems must be visible at least 500 feet away you attempt to pass, use your car’s horn to signal to from the vehicle, but because it may be diffi cult for the farmer that you are there. you to judge the speed at which you are closing in on a vehicle, you should slow down immediately. Think of the slow moving vehicle emblem as a By being aware of farm equipment during your travels on rural roads, warning to adjust your speed. you can help make the trip safe for both you and Pennsylvania’s farmers. For more information, call 717-761-2740 or email: [email protected] Do You Recognize these Symbols? Tips for Farmers

Less than 30% of drivers know what thesee Farmers have a role in rural road safety too. Here are symbols mean.* But it’s a matter of life and deathh some tips to alleviate some hazards when taking wide for drivers of automobiles, farm equipment, andd equipment onto the road: animal-drawn vehicles on rural roads. It’s a matter of Pennsylvania law requires you to place a slow This is a daytime view of the slow movingg moving vehicle reflector on any machine that vehicle emblem. It is to be displayed on travels the road slower than 25 mph. Always life and death animal-drawn vehicles and on other point the triangle up, keep the SMV emblem clean vehicles designed to travel at speeds to maximize refl ectivity, and replace the emblem of 25 mph or less. It is not simply a refl ector- it is a warning to slow down. when it fades, normally every 2-3 years. Mark the edges of tractors and machines with Occasionally you may refl ective tape and refl ectors. Consider installing encounter slow moving vehicles traveling at night.t. retrofi t lighting on older machinery to increase T h e SMV emblem’s red border is designed forr nighttime visibility. Your car’s headlightss visibility. will refl ect off the red border of the SMVV Turn on your lights, but turn off rear spotlights when emblem, and appear to you to be a going onto the road. From a distance they can be glowing red triangle fl oating in thee mistaken for headlights. darkness. It is extremely importantnt to slow down immediatelyy Avoid the highway during rush hours and bad because reduced lighting willll weather. Don’t drive before sunrise or after sunset. make it diffi cult to judge how rapidly you are closingg in on a slow moving vehicle, or what the dimensionss Use pilot cars, one in front and one in back if you of the slow moving vehicle may be. are going a considerable distance. Hang an orange fl ag out the window of these pilot vehicles.

*According to fi ndings of Penn State researcher Consider installing mirrors on equipment to enable Philip M. Garvey, author of “Motorist Comprehension you to be aware of motorists around you. of the Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem.”

It is illegal for any resident of Pennsylvania to display the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau slow moving vehicle emblem 510 S. 31st Street - Box 8736, Camp Hill, PA 17001-8736 on permanent, stationary objects such as mail box posts, driveway 717-761-2740 ● www.pfb.com entrances and fences. 4/11