When large farm equipment shares the road with motorists, OFA reminds everyone to remember the rules of the road and take the time to put safety first. When you see a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign – remember to slow down and share the road.

Every year, too many accidents happen on our rural roads.

According to federal government data, slow moving vehicles are 3.8 to 4.8 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision per kilometre on the road than other motor vehicles. OPP statistics show that farm slow moving vehicle injuries and fatalities are mostly related to rollovers and these generally occur while entering, exiting, or crossing roadways, veering off the shoulder and accidents involving a passenger vehicle.

Passenger vehicles incorrectly passing farm equipment can result in serious accidents or death, with statistics showing that eight out of 10 accidents occur during the day and seven out of 10 occur on dry road conditions.

We recognize the high-speed pace of today’s world, whether it’s commuting for work, travelling to and from school, or running around for errands, sports and recreational activities – people are constantly in a rush and all of us want to get where we’re going quickly.

But we also need to get there safely, and road safety is a shared responsibility between both farmers and motorists. We all need to make it a priority to take the extra few seconds or minutes to pass farm equipment safely.

Together, we can make our roads safer, our communities stronger and support our farmers to continue providing the food, fuel, flowers and fibre we all depend on. Let’s make sure everyone returns home safe and sound.

Here are a few tips for farmers to keep in mind when farm equipment hits the road:

1. Drive on the road – Travelling on your side of the roadway prevents unsafe passing, and is safer than relying on the soft shoulder.
2. Circle check – Conducting a daily 360-degree safety check of equipment before leaving the farm and ensuring hitches, brakes, and tires are well-maintained and road ready.
3. Avoid distractions – Keep your focus on the road and avoid using your phone or eating while operating farm equipment on the road.
4. Be prepared – Plan ahead for breaks and nutrition for maximum energy. Attentive drivers are safe drivers.
5. Keep the lights on – Ensure visibility by leaving equipment lights on all day, not just the required range of 30 minutes of sunrise and sunset.
6. Make it visible – Be sure that every qualifying piece of farm equipment travelling the roadways has a visible slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign.
7. Take a deep breath – When you are waiting for an opening to turn onto a main roadway, be patient and wait until there is enough time to safely pull onto the road.

To prevent road accidents, here are some top tips for motorists:

• Pay attention to orange triangles on the back of farm equipment. These are slow moving vehicle signs that mean farm vehicles legally can’t go faster than 40 km/hour.
• Watch for indicator lights and remember that a gap between a slow moving vehicle and an approaching car or truck can close very quickly.
• Plan a pass carefully, be patient and only pass when it’s safe to do so.
• Be kind – wave with your whole hand, not just a single finger. We take our equipment on the road because we have to, not because we want to ruin your day.

Resources:

Many local and regional federations of agriculture have also undertaken road safety projects to raise awareness with both motorists and farmers.

• Click here to see a list of projects local federations have implemented regarding road safety.

OFA was pleased to have Corey Poapst, Transportation Enforcement Officer of the Ministry of Transportation join members for a virtual session focused on helping everyone stay safe during planting season – whether you’re driving farm equipment or commuting on rural roadways.

Topics included farm vehicle use and requirements, CVOR, driver’s licenses, annual inspections, and more. The session provided practical information to support safe, informed travel for all road users as activity increases this season.

• Click here to watch the webinar.

For additional information on road safety, visit ofa.on.ca/issues/transportation and select Fact Sheets at the bottom of the page.

Related fact sheets include:

• Transportation issues and opportunities
• Farm Trucks
• Farm Implements on the Road
• Trailer Towing Checklist
• Benefits of Farm Plates

For more information, visit the MTO Farm Guide. For the French version of the MTO Farm Guide, please click here.