The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office urges drivers to be aware of farm equipment on the road as planting season begins.
Sergeant Rich Rennhack tells us that farmers may use their large, slow-moving vehicles, and everyone should exercise caution.
“People need to be aware that there could be large machinery that could cause some serious accidents on the roadway,” Rennhack says. “Mostly early morning hours and late at night when the sun’s going down when they’re coming home from tilling the fields and working. Those machines are obviously very large, very heavy, and relatively slow moving and they can take up the majority of the roadway if you’re not paying attention.”
Rennhack also encourages both motorists and farmers to be mindful of local road construction and to be patient when navigating around work zones.
“Be mindful of those workers on the roadways, because even here in Van Buren, we’ve had some traffic crashes and fatalities to our road commission and MDOT workers,” Rennhack says. “So just be careful. The workers are trying to get our roads a little better. Just be patient and make sure you give them their space and that you’re aware of what’s going on with your surroundings.”
If you need to overtake a farm vehicle, make sure the driver is aware of your intention to pass.
