Iowa motorists are reminded harvest time is underway and drivers should be prepared to encounter combines and other large farm equipment on the road.
Chuck Schwab, a safety specialist with Iowa State University Extension, says rear end collisions are among the most common crashes involving farm machinery.
“Motor vehicles go at a much higher rate of speed than agricultural equipment, so you have this fast closing distance and rear end collisions are very prominent if you’re not prepared to stop,” Schwab says. When attempting to pass farm machinery, Schwab urges motorists to be patient and make sure they know the farm equipment won’t be turning left.
“You need to make sure you’re in line and know that they’re not turning left, watch for the signals and the movement of equipment before you make that pass,” Schwab says. In addition to roadway collisions, Schwab says the most common type of farm vehicle related accidents include roll-overs involving tractors, lawnmowers, and all terrain vehicles.
(By Dennis Morrice, KLEM, Le Mars)