National Farm Safety and Health Week focuses on rural roadways

By DAVE WILKINS
Capital Press

It may say something about the importance of farm safety that the nation's first official observance occurred during World War II.

Ever since President Franklin Roosevelt declared the first National Farm Safety and Health Week in 1942, the third complete week in September has been set aside to emphasize the importance of staying safe on the farm.

This year the observance will be Sept. 20 to 26 and the theme will be "Rural Roadway Safety: Alert, Aware and Alive."

It's no coincidence that national farm safety week occurs in the fall. It's harvest time, and that means lots of activity not only in farm fields but on rural roadways all over the country.

Rural roads account for 40 percent of travel in the United States, but 60 percent of fatalities, according to statistics.

The fatality rate on rural roads is 2.5 times that for urban roads.

It's not just that there are so many unmarked intersections out in the country. Rural roads can have poor sight distance at intersections due to trees and other encroachments. Ditches, field entrances and mailboxes are other common roadside hazards, experts say.

There's a push by some folks in agriculture to improve the signaling devices on tractors and other farm equipment.

Better signaling devices may help prevent accidents that occur when farm equipment operators driving on public roadways turn left, said Illinois farmer Daryl Hodel.

"All of the flashers and blinkers are yellow. We need a set of red blinkers with arrows to show we're turning," Hodel said in a press release issued by Country Financial in conjunction with national farm safety week.

Hodel has been working with the Illinois Farm Bureau to petition manufacturers to improve farm equipment signaling devices.

Oftentimes, motorists don't even realize farm vehicles are turning, which causes them to pass at unsafe times, Hodel said. He believes an independent blinking signal in the shape of a directional arrow would provide much-improved visibility for rural drivers.

In the meantime, farmers and motorists share responsibility for roadway safety, Hodel said. Drivers need to keep their distance and remain patient.

"We don't always turn at normal places," he said. "We need to swing right before turning left because our equipment is so large. Most importantly, motorists should make sure to always closely watch farm equipment's signals."

Staff writer Dave Wilkins is based in Twin Falls, Idaho.
E-mail: dwilkins@capitalpress.com.

Checklist

Driving tractors and other farm equipment on public roadways requires special caution. Here's a partial inspection checklist from the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety:

* Are lights and flashers operational?

* Is a reflective "Slow Moving Vehicle" emblem posted?

* Are tires properly inflated?

* Is the tractor equipped with a rollover protective structure?

Online

More information about farm safety is at www.necasag.org. The site includes fact sheets on several topics, including tractor safety, all-terrain vehicle safety and grain storage structures and handling equipment.