RICHMOND—Flowers are blooming, plants are growing, and farmers are venturing onto Virginia roadways with their farm equipment.

The familiar signs of spring mark the start of planting season—a busy and often hazardous time as farmers travel from field to field to get their crops in the ground.

“One of the biggest mistakes drivers make is waiting too long to slow down,” said Matt Nuckols, chair of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Farm Safety Advisory Committee. “These machines are large, slow and need extra room to turn or stop safely. Slowing down sooner than you think you need to and giving extra space, even treating it like a brief escort to the next turn, helps protect everyone on the road.”

Drivers may encounter sprayers, planters, discs and plows that can easily span the entire road, some up to 17 feet wide. A car speeding down a roadway quickly closes the distance between farm equipment traveling 20 to 30 miles per hour.

Crashes involving farm equipment are five times more fatal than other road crashes.

“We’ve had some close calls,” said Garret Chambers, who farms cattle, hay and feed grains in Orange County. He noted that dangerous encounters happen when farmers turn left into a field.

“We’re signaling that we’re getting ready to slow down and turn, but a car will try to fly out past us.”

With limited visibility in equipment, farmers may not see a car approaching from behind as they’re looking ahead to safely cross the road and navigate through a narrow gate.

When encountering farm equipment on roads, Chambers urged drivers to have patience and pay attention. He also encouraged approaching motorists to pull over, if possible, to let machines pass, or give farmers time to find space to pull over. This helps avoid equipment coming to a complete stop in the road, which causes further delays.

To prevent traffic backups, many farmers plan travel during off-peak times. And although driving behind farm equipment may seem inconvenient in the moment, “we’re probably adding five minutes to your day—the time difference of stopping for a cup of coffee,” Chambers said.

Tips for drivers:

• Slow down and give plenty of room.
• Pass only when it’s legal and safe. Never pass on a double yellow line.
• Be mindful of obstacles. Farmers might need to move into the next lane to avoid mailboxes, fences, trees and ditches.
• Pause for lefthand turns and watch for hand signals.
• Be aware of field entrances.
• Put the phone down and keep eyes on the road.

Tips for farmers:

• Display the slow-moving vehicle emblem on equipment traveling 25 mph or less.
• Ensure all brake lights, turn signals and warning lights are functioning.
• Follow traffic laws, signals and signs.
• When it’s safe, pull over and let traffic pass.
• Wear your seatbelt, and don’t allow extra riders on the equipment.
• Avoid moving farm equipment in limited visibility conditions or peak commute times.
• Use escort cars when possible.

Media: Contact Nuckols at 804-938-2043 or Chambers at 804-834-6114.