August 7, 2003

 

Farm Trucks Are A Busy Part of Harvest

Every year farm trucks are involved in on- and off-road accidents but at harvest time the rate increases. "Most accidents result in injuries ranging from slight to serious and even fatalities," according to George Maher, North Dakota State University Extension safety specialist. "Most accidents can be prevented if proper safety precautions are followed."

Empty or loaded, large trucks require more care on the road because they handle differently than the family car or pickup. A fully loaded truck has a higher center of gravity making it more prone to rollover accidents. A loaded truck also has more momentum. More time and distance is needed to accelerate and stop and slower speeds are needed to turn safely.

"Because of their size, trucks appear to be moving slower than they really are," Maher says. "This is an optical illusion that affects how accurately motorists can judge the speed of the truck. Drivers usually under-estimate the speed and don?t expect it to reach an anticipated point as quickly as it does."

Farm truck drivers need to take precautions when traveling on or off road. Some considerations:

• Legal lighting is required. Trucks must be equipped with working headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals. Clearance lights that indicate the truck’s size are also an excellent safety item.
• Overloading a truck definitely affects handling and control.
• Granular materials, such as grain, are a safety hazard to other motorists if it spills or blows from the box.
• Overloaded trucks can also cause damage to water-softened country roads.
• Truck tires should be checked daily for proper inflation, cuts, bulges, and other road hazard defects. Pay special attention to inside tires on a dual axle truck. They usually do not get inspected as thoroughly as the outer tires, but are important to the truck’s load-carrying and road handling capabilities.
• Clear vision is a necessity. Truck drivers can have a real problem with dirty and dusty windows during harvest. A buildup of grain dust on the windows can make looking into the setting sun or glare from on-coming headlights very dangerous. While frequent use of the windshield washers will keep the outside clean, using a window cleaner and paper towels will keep windows clean on the inside, making night-time driving easier.
• Fatigue increases your reaction time and reduces your mental alertness. Noise and other conditions of harvest can cause fatigue much earlier than other types of work. There is a limit to how long and hard you can work. Don't push yourself past your abilities. Know your limits and don't extend them.
• Finally, use seatbelts. Drivers have better posture if the belt is fastened, decreasing back-strain through a long day. Also, seatbelts save lives; this applies to trucks as well as cars and other vehicles.

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Source: George Maher, (701) 231-8288, george.maher@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu