Farm Season Alert: Illinois Police Warn of Equipment on Highways

With summer nearly in the rear view mirror for us now, our attention now shifts to the Fall months and the Illinois State Police have issued a warning to both drivers and farmers about agricultural equipment on roadways.

This is a common sight in Illinois right now

As harvest season begins, the Illinois State Police are reminding everyone that there are new dangers that go along with this time of year when it comes to driving in parts of the state where agriculture is vital. Illinois troopers have issued a warning to both drivers and farmers about how perilous the Fall months can be. Along with the typical advisories to slow down when near farm equipment and being cautious when passing, there's one rule that many forget and it's this one:

"It is illegal to pass in a no passing lane or within 100 feet of an intersection, railroad crossing, or bridge. Improper passing, including around farm equipment, can be deadly."

This is the scenario when some of the most tragic accidents happen in Illinois. Impatience with farm machinery can lead to bad decisions sometimes with serious or fatal consequences. They also remind drivers that not all farm equipment has turn signals. For older tractors, drivers need to be watchful for farmer hand signals when they're preparing to change direction.

The responsibility of safe driving during harvest season doesn't lie solely with drivers. Illinois State Police remind farmers that they need to avoid driving farm equipment during the rush hour of early mornings and late afternoons when possible and to not drive on roadways when weather has reduced visibility or when it's dark. That's not always possible when a farmer has crops to get in from a field, but police want everyone to do their part to make this harvest season as safe as possible in Illinois.