Attention, patience keys to safe travel during harvest

Kansas Department of Transportation

Wheat harvest is now in full swing in many areas of Kansas. Travelers should expect to share the road with large, slow-moving farm equipment for the next few weeks.

Making sure farmers get their harvest to market and travelers reach their destinations safely begins with paying attention, using caution and having patience on the road.

The Kansas Department of Transportation, the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Highway Patrol offer the following tips for travel in farm country during harvest:

• Slow down when approaching farm equipment. Think of the triangular, slow moving vehicle emblem on the rear of farm machinery as a warning to adjust your speed.

• Allow extra room when following farm equipment.

• Be aware of heavy truck traffic near grain elevators and COOPs. Grain trucks may stop on the road while waiting in line to unload grain. Find an alternate route away from elevators if possible.

• Be aware of trucks, tractors pulling grain carts and combines pulling onto roads from farm fields. Also, be prepared for farm equipment to suddenly turn off the road into fields.

• Don’t pass unless absolutely necessary. Before passing make sure the farm machinery isn’t turning left, determine if the road is wide enough for you and the equipment to safely share, look for roadside obstacles such as mailboxes, bridges or road signs that may cause the machinery to move to the center of the road and be sure there is adequate distance to safely pass.

• There may be several pieces of farm equipment traveling together. Be sure there is adequate space to accommodate another vehicle before attempting to pass.

• Don’t assume the farmer knows you are there.

• Remember, grain goes to market by train as well as truck. Be watchful when approaching railroad crossings.

• No texting. It’s against the law.

• Always wear seat belts and use child safety restraints.