TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Seven people lost their lives in 2022 due to farming accidents on the road. That is according to Indiana State Police Public Information Officer Sergeant Matt Ames with the Putnamville Post.
He shared some tips for drivers as many may encounter these large vehicles on the roadway during the harvest season. He says the most important thing to remember is to be alert, vigilant, and patient.
The equipment may take up most of the roadway and travel around 20 to 25 miles per hour. When you see farming equipment, you should slow down and try to communicate your intentions with the driver of the equipment before you pass.
“Make sure that you’re not attempting to pass a large piece of equipment like that near an intersection near a railroad crossing or near where there’s going to be a lot of other traffic. Make sure that it’s safe for you to get around them and make sure that when you’re following the farm equipment that you’re paying attention because they may all of a sudden come to a sudden stop, or you may think that they’re going to go to the right and they’re just swinging out to be able to go left,” said Public Information Officer Sergeant Matt Ames.
He adds that the state of Indiana has a slowpoke law and explained that if three vehicles are behind a slow-moving farm vehicle, then that farmer is required to get over.
