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August
4, 2005
Visibility
Vital When Operating Farm Machinery
The chances of a collision
between tractors or farm machinery and other motor vehicles increase considerably
during the hours of poor visibility, a North Dakota State University safety
expert says.
Poor visibility slows
drivers’ reaction between the time they first spot an object and
when they take action to avoid a collision, says George Maher, NDSU Extension
Service agricultural safety specialist.
“Maintaining
the visibility of the tractor or farm machinery is the responsibility
of the driver of that equipment, not the driver of the other vehicle,”
he adds.
Any vehicle, farm
machinery included, traveling 25 mph or slower on North Dakota public
roads is required to have a “Slow Moving Vehicle” sign mounted
and visible to the rear.
The sign must be mounted
in the center of the vehicle’s rear end, with the bottom of the
sign between 2 and 6 feet from the ground and the top point of the triangular
sign pointing upward. The sign must be reflective and visible from at
least 600 feet away. Newer signs are visible from 1,200 feet away.
Maher also has this
advice for anyone operating farm machinery:
- Use reflectors
on all farm machinery that operate on public roads. The reflectors should
be installed so they indicate the maximum width of the machine. Reflectors
must show red to the rear and amber to the front. A red reflector never
should be visible from the front.
- Reflectors should
be visible from the sides of the machine if it extends more than 33
feet behind the tractor hitch point. Without side reflectors, other
drivers may believe nothing is directly behind the tractor and attempt
to pull out from a side road directly behind the tractor, colliding
with the unseen implement.
- Use hazard lights
day and night on the road. Your hazard lights are other drivers’
first warning that slow-moving equipment is ahead. Always turn the lights
on before getting on the road. The lights should flash at a rate of
60 to 85 flashes per minute.
- When you use a
hazard light to signal a turn, the rate of flashing will increase by
20 flashes per minute. When you use a right-hand turn signal, the left-hand
hazard light should show a continuous light and not flash. When you
use the left-hand turn signal, the right-hand hazard light will show
a continuous light and not flash. These flashing rates are controlled
electronically and are not adjustable.
- Use the proper
lighting for clearance and visibility when moving farm equipment after
dark. Tractor or combine drivers must use headlights because they need
to see the road clearly and the driver of an approaching vehicle needs
to see them. Tractors and combines should have both high and low beams
on the headlights.
- The headlight
rules of the road for autos and trucks apply to farm machinery. Use
the lights when visibility is less than 1,000 feet. Dim the high beams
at least 500 feet in front of oncoming traffic and within 300 feet of
the rear of traffic in front.
- Using the field
lights on a tractor or combine for road lights is not legal and it sends
a confusing message to other drivers because they won't know what is
ahead of them.
- Tractors and combines
should have one red taillight mounted on the extreme left side of the
machine. If you use another taillight, it should be mounted to the extreme
right side of the machine.
- Use mirrors on
farm machinery because the drivers are responsible for knowing what
traffic is behind them. Drivers who turn around in their seat to see
what is following them have a tendency to turn the steering wheel in
the direction their body is turning. Mirrors need to be mounted properly
to allow the driver to remain seated and looking forward, yet still
see any traffic that is following. The mirrors also must be large enough
for a good field of view and clean for good vision.
- Using the headlights
of a vehicle behind the farm machinery to light the way is not legal
or safe. Do not move farm machinery on public roads when visibility
is poor if it does not have proper lighting equipment.
“Safe lighting
is not difficult or expensive to retro-fit and maintain on tractors and
farm machinery, especially when compared with the cost of an accident
or collision,” Maher says.
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Source:
George Maher, (701) 231-8288, gmaher@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Ellen Crawford, (701) 231-5391, ecrawfor@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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