Rural Road Safety Week Highlights Farm Equipment Risks

By Blake Jackson

As Pennsylvania farmers begin spring planting, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) and state partners are urging drivers to exercise caution on rural roadways during Rural Roads Safety Week, April 13-19.

This annual initiative with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) aims to enhance safety during peak planting season.

“Farmers make the safety of other motorists a top priority when we must move equipment on the roadway and we ask that drivers help keep us safe as well,” said Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Chris Hoffman. “We don’t want to cause an inconvenience to anyone and will often pull over to allow others to pass when it’s safe to do so. We just ask that drivers remain patient when following farm equipment and keep a safe distance. By slowing down and using caution and commonsense, drivers can avoid costly crashes and save lives.”

“Be extremely cautious on those back roads when you’re turning a corner or coming up on an intersection.,” said Pennsylvania Agriculture Bureau Director for Plant Industry Frank Schneider “Some of the equipment that is on the road now a days takes up the whole width of the road especially when we talk about rural and back roads, so be cautious”

Preliminary PennDOT data reveals 104 farm equipment-related crashes in Pennsylvania in 2024, resulting in fatalities and injuries.

This underscores the need for vigilance, especially considering the over 40,000 total crashes and 576 fatalities on rural Pennsylvania roads last year.

PennDOT Executive Deputy Secretary Larry Shifflet added, "We share the same concerns as PDA, Farm Bureau and state police not only for the safety of the farm community but the safety of all motorists. Rural Road Safety Week reminds us that we all need to take a pause and slow down."

Farm equipment operation on roadways, even at night, is legal, provided farmers adhere to safety guidelines, including displaying a Slow-Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblem for equipment traveling under 25 mph.

Drivers encountering an SMV emblem should immediately reduce speed. Passing should only occur in clear, visible passing zones, never within 100 feet of intersections, railroad crossings, bridges, or tunnels.

PFB and partner agencies held a safety demonstration at Dotterer Dairy in Mill Hall on April 15. County Farm Bureaus statewide are also conducting local safety events.

Photo Credit: gettyImages-shaunl