Tractor Road Safety
Hitting the open road on a tractor? You very well may put yourself in harm’s way if you are not careful. In fact, accidents are likely if drivers lack the experience necessary to handle heavy machinery, drive too fast when pulling a load, drive over the center line, or drive partially on the shoulder.
To avoid potential hazards, consider the following safety tips while operating a tractor on a main roadway:
Signage Recommendations
· Place a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem on the rear of the tractor so that automobiles can clearly see it as they approach.
· If you are towing a trailer or other equipment that blocks the SMV sign, place an additional emblem on the towed equipment.
Lighting Tips
· Make sure that tractors have two forward-facing headlights and a red taillight that is constantly illuminated.
· Any equipment that is towed should have two rear-mounted red reflectors.
· If you are operating a tractor on a public road, it must be equipped with hazard lights. These lights should always be on when the vehicle is on the road.
Traffic Rules
· Use a turn or hand signal when changing lanes, turning, pulling onto the road or stopping. You should signal at least 100 feet before turning or stopping to alert motorists.
· When traveling on a single-lane or two-lane road that intersects with a multi-lane road, you must yield to others traveling on the multi-lane road.
· Traffic on unpaved roads must yield to motorists on paved roads.
· Look behind and to the left and right before turning.
· Apply the brakes before making a turn as opposed to during the turn.
· Do not park a tractor closer than 50 feet from a railroad crossing.
· Park a tractor completely off a roadway.
Remember these safety recommendations and traffic rules to keep yourself and others safe on the roadways.