The New York Farm Bureau has just launched its annual road safety campaign amid spring planting season, warning drivers across the region and nationwide about the deadly risks posed by farm vehicles on public roads.
A 2019 study by the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) reveals crashes involving farm machinery are five times more likely to be fatal than typical vehicle collisions, with over 80% resulting from collisions with other vehicles. This alarming statistic underscores urgency as farmers mobilize across the state and beyond, including Ohio’s neighboring regions, driving large equipment at reduced speeds.
Spring Planting Season Sparks Spike in Roadside Farm Vehicle Crashes
As farmers prepare fields this spring, the presence of tractors, combines, and slow-moving equipment surges on roads. The Finger Lakes area, home to many Amish and Mennonite farmers using horse-drawn buggies and non-motorized implements, faces heightened risks. Drivers unfamiliar with agricultural traffic are urged to exercise extreme caution.
NYFB President David Fisher appeals to drivers:
“Pay attention, approach farm vehicles slowly, and pass them only when safe to do so. A little patience can save a life.”
His message resonates nationwide as more farm equipment takes to roads during critical planting timelines.
Graphic, Real-Life PSA Videos Drive Home Deadly Consequences
In partnership with Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck, NYFB produced two poignant public service announcement videos to drive awareness. One dramatizes a serious farm vehicle accident. The second features Joe Tyler of El-Vi Farms in Wayne County, who suffered grave injuries in 2019 when a dump truck collided with his tractor during a left turn.
“The extra 30 seconds you want to gain to pass us could cost a life… It was traumatic for me and my family. Please be respectful,” Tyler says emphatically.
The videos are currently viewed across the region at bit.ly/SharetheRoad25 and bit.ly/SharetheRoad25-2, providing a visceral reminder to slow down and share the road responsibly.
Key Safety Tips for Drivers and Farmers
Drivers are advised to:
- Slow down and keep significant distance behind equipment displaying the orange Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) triangle emblem.
- Never attempt passing when visibility is limited or in designated no-passing zones.
- Anticipate wide turns—farm tractors may swing opposite directions before turning onto roads or fields.
- Avoid distractions like cell phones; at 60 mph, vehicles travel 88 feet per second, reducing reaction time drastically.
Farmers and equipment operators must:
- Display SMV emblems when traveling under 25 mph and speed identification symbols (SIS) at 25-40 mph.
- Never exceed the maximum speed of machinery or trailed implements.
- Use flashing amber lights at all times for increased visibility, day and night.
- Stay fully in the lane to avoid dangerous rollovers caused by soft shoulders or roadside ditches common across rural roads.
- Remain alert to vehicles behind you, especially when making turns on roads.
Why Ohio Drivers Should Take Note Now
While this campaign is spearheaded in New York, the urgency echoes across Ohio. Ohioans frequently encounter farm machinery during planting seasons, especially in northwest and central agricultural regions. Mirror New York’s warnings, Ohio drivers must adopt the same vigilance. Fatal crashes involving farm vehicles continue to threaten rural communities nationwide.
“We all have families to go home to,” Tyler shared, emphasizing the human cost behind statistics. The Ohio farming community and road safety advocates should heed these calls with equal seriousness.
Recent data highlights an ongoing national challenge: slow-moving agricultural traffic mixed with modern, fast-paced highways require responsible sharing by all drivers.
Next Steps and Awareness Efforts Ahead
NYFB encourages all states to support similar campaigns this spring, combining real stories with enforcement and education. Farmers are reminded to keep equipment visible and drivers are urged to remain patient amid busy planting seasons.
This safety initiative is critical as Ohioans and others hit the roads this spring; split-second decisions at slow tractors could determine life or death.
Stay alert, respect farm equipment speed limits, and always pass only when it’s unequivocally safe. Your patience today could save a neighbor’s life tomorrow.
