The Manitoba Driver, from Manitoba Public Insurance
April 2009

About 300 words
Spring means robins, hockey playoffs – and farm equipment

It’s hard to believe spring is just around the corner but it won’t be all that long before farmers begin seeding again.

That means slow-moving farm equipment will again return to Manitoba’s roads and highways. According to safety experts with Manitoba Public Insurance, preventing accidents requires a willingness on everyone’s part to share the road and keep in mind a few safety tips.

“On average, there are typically 26 vehicles in collisions a year involving farm equipment on roadways,” says Lou Gervino, Manager of Driver Education for Manitoba Public Insurance.

“The best option when approaching farm equipment is to reduce speed. If you’re travelling at highway speed, you’ll catch up to them a lot quicker than you think.” It’s likely a piece of farm equipment will be travelling slower than 40 kilometres per hour, and sometimes much slower than that.

Farm machinery can be oddly shaped and take up more space than regular vehicles, so as you approach it’s important to take the necessary time to assess how long and wide it is.

Gervino says drivers should exercise extra caution rounding corners and coming up over hills, especially at night. Wait for a good view of the road ahead before attempting to pass.

Those who drive heavy equipment on highways are required to have a slow-moving vehicle emblem clearly visible to traffic approaching from behind, with red reflectors as close as possible to the left and right at the rear.

At night, farm equipment must have headlights, red tail lamps and flashing amber warning lamps.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility,” Gervino says. “When everyone does their part to make safety their first priority, the chances of having an accident are greatly reduced.”

--30--

© 2009 Manitoba Public Insurance

Downloadable high resolution images
(right click on the thumbnail below and choose "Save Target As...)

Illustration courtesy of Manitoba Public Insurance