View from the Cab: Stay safe

By Kent Casson

With warmer temperatures and sunshine returning to Central Illinois, large equipment will soon fill the roadways for another spring planting season.

Here is my semi-annual article on staying safe out in farm country for the next couple of months as farmers work to put the 2025 crop in the ground.

Farmers should plan their travel on busy roads, avoiding rush hours and the time before daylight and after dark. The proper reflective Slow Moving Vehicle emblem must be used on any implement operated on public roads. Reflective marking tape and reflectors should be used on equipment edges.

Hazard lights should be turned on for roadway travel with field work lights turned off for transport mode. Mirrors should be installed which are wide enough to see what is following you and always use turn signals to indicate a turn. Be aware of traffic in all directions and pull over temporarily if road and shoulder conditions are safe to do so, in order to allow traffic to pass.

Equipment width should be minimized as much as possible and slow down around curves while checking traffic behind you. Larger equipment should be trucked to the next location when practical.

Farmers should also know where to find help in case of an emergency and be prepared to render first aid or even take a CPR class if possible. Always communicate your location or schedule with family to make sure you can be reached in case of an emergency.

Always keep yourself and equipment 10 feet away from power lines and be aware of increased height when loading and transporting. If you are on equipment which contacts a power line, don’t exit the equipment. Call 911 or your electric utility and wait for help to arrive on site.

Personal well-being is another important aspect of farm safety this spring. Stay hydrated, take plenty of breaks and eat nutritious, healthy meals while avoiding alcohol which can impair your abilities.

Motorists should remember to share the road safely with farmers by reducing speed when encountering farm equipment on the road. Those flashing lights mean “caution.” Keep a safe distance from equipment so the farmer can see you and pass wide, large equipment only if you know conditions are safe.

Be prepared to yield for wide equipment, always wear a safety belt and watch for the farmer’s indication of a turn. Older equipment is not always equipped with turn signals so watch for a hand signal instead.

Let’s all stay safe out there this spring and happy planting!