Safety
AROUND YOUR HOME

Help prevent farm machinery traffic accidents

Bill Brink

Each year there are traffic accidents in Illinois involving agricultural equipment. Since 1986, at least 23 people have been killed in accidents involving farm machinery on public roadways.

According to Dr. Chip Petrea, University of Illinois Farm Safety Specialist, the deceased were primarily from the non-agricultural driving public. As far as the movement of farm machinery on public roadways is concerned, left turns across the opposite lane of traffic is a particularly hazardous situation.

The odds for an individual to be involved in a farm machinery accident are increasing for several reasons. Motor traffic increases each year, and fewer people have farm backgrounds and know how to use caution when approaching farm equipment on the highway. Also, farms are larger now, so operators are on the road more and traveling greater distances. Equipment has also become larger and can extend more into the opposite lane of traffic.

An important safety factor to reduce farm machinery accidents is the lighting and visibility of farm machinery while it's on public roadways. The Illinois Vehicle Code mandates tractors and self-propelled equipment to have the following lighting requirements:

• Lighting is required from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise.

• There should be two white lamps set as wide apart as possible on the front of the vehicle, visible from at least 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle.

• There should be two red lamps set as wide apart as possible on the rear of the vehicle, visible from at least 1,000 feet to the rear of the vehicle.

• There should be at least one flashing amber signal lamp on the rear of the vehicle, mounted as high as possible and visible from at least 500 feet.

When towing equipment, the following are applicable:

• If towed implements or wagons obscure the two red rear lamps of the tractor, the rearmost towed implement must have two red lamps mounted on it.

• Only the rearmost towed implement or wagon of those coupled together needs to have the flashing amber light.

• It's also recommended that the extremities of towed equipment, such as field cultivators, discs and other wide equipment have reflectors mounted as far out on the extremity as possible. These reflectors or tape will assist drivers in seeing that portions of the equipment extend beyond the width of the tractor.

The slow-moving vehicle emblem (SMV), which is the fluorescent orange triangle, is required for moving "implements of husbandry" on public roadways. The SMV is used to warn approaching vehicles to slow down. If a car is traveling at 55 mph when 400 feet behind a tractor traveling at 15 mph, it takes only seven seconds to reach the tractor and a possible collision.

Therefore, it's critical the SMV emblem be clean and visible. If wagons or implements being towed obscure the SMV on the tractor, then the rearmost wagon or implement needs to have a SMV in place in addition to the lighting requirements.

The SMV emblem, because of its reflective nature and shape, can be found in many inappropriate places, such as roadway entrances, mailbox posts, etc. This will decrease the value of the SMV emblem and should not be used for those purposes.

Kits containing reflective materials and instructions to mark implements are available at a cost from your local county Farm Bureau Office, equipment dealer, or chemical supplier. The Illinois State Police would also be a good source of information regarding the Illinois Vehicle Code.

If farmers increase the visibility of their farm equipment and drivers slow down and take more precautions on the highway, hopefully the number of farm accidents on public roadways will decrease and lives will be saved.

Bill Brink is an Extension Educator, Crop Systems, at the Springfield Extension Center, University of Illinois Extension, P.O. Box 8199, Springfield, IL 62791-8199. Telephone: (217) 782-6515.

14   ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING OCTOBER 2000