With harvest now in full swing, motorists can expect to see an increase in farm vehicles and equipment moving down our roadways.

Glen Blahey is Agricultural Health And Safety Specialist with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association. He says the general public needs to be aware that much of the equipment moving down roads and highways will be travelling at a much slower speed than other vehicles. Motorists should also recognize that this equipment is much larger and far less maneuverable than a car or minivan. And finally, he says farm equipment could be on the roads at all hours of the night.

As for farmers, Blahey says if their equipment is large, it is important that if possible to be accompanied by a pilot vehicle. He notes statistics show a significant number of collisions involving farm equipment and motor vehicles happens when the farmer is attempting a left turn.

"The operators of the equipment can not always see the vehicle behind them," he explains. "And the vehicles behind them don't always recognize that that piece of farm equipment is making a left-hand turn."

Blahey says this is why it is helpful to use the assistance of a pilot vehicle in order to guide the general motoring public. But he says it is also important for farmers to keep in mind that sometimes motorists travelling behind are impatient and anxious to get by them.

"Please be patient, that's really the main thing," stresses local farmer Korey Peters. "We try to avoid the highways where possible and go around gravel roads and unhitch the headers and make sure we get there as safe as we can and have as many flashing lights and yield signs and everything."

According to Blahey, it is incumbent for a producer to make sure their equipment has appropriate markings, warning lights and reflectors and that they are operational. Further to that, farm equipment should be appropriately positioned on a road, not straddling the centre line.

He also reminds motorists that farm machinery has a right to the roadway. And because this equipment probably isn't moving at highway speed, it is the responsibility of motorists to adjust their speeds accordingly.

Blahey says in an ideal world, farmers would not transport their equipment down roads after sunset. Having said that, he says the time of day when most collisions happen involving farm equipment is the period from 3 pm to 6 pm. This is followed by 6 pm and 9 pm and then 9 am and noon.

Not only is it important for farmers to use extra caution while on roads, but Blahey says they also need to maintain their own bodies. That means getting rest, keeping hydrated and staying nourished.