NEW YORK — The New York Farm Bureau has launched its annual road safety campaign amid rising concerns about farm vehicle accidents during spring planting season. Urgent warnings come as a 2019 study by NYCAMH revealed that crashes involving farm machinery are five times more likely to be fatal than typical vehicle accidents nationwide.
Area roads in the Finger Lakes and across New York are flooded with slow-moving tractors, horse-drawn buggies, and large farm equipment prepping fields this spring. The New York Farm Bureau urges all motorists to exercise extreme patience and caution when sharing the road with farm vehicles to prevent deadly collisions.
Farm vehicle crashes dominate and are often fatal
The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) found that more than 80% of fatal agricultural accidents resulted from collisions between farm vehicles and passenger cars. Investigators linked many of these incidents to rushed drivers attempting unsafe overtakes on straightaways.
Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck partnered with the Farm Bureau to produce recreated accident videos to highlight the dangers of impatient driving near agricultural machinery. One shows a shocking accident scene demonstrating how careless passing turns fatal. Another features Joe Tyler, a farmhand from El-Vi Farms in Wayne County, who suffered serious injuries in a 2019 crash caused by a dump truck striking his tractor during a left turn.
Voices from the field: The human toll of reckless driving
Joe Tyler: “The extra 30 seconds to pass could cost a life or hours of pain. I was seriously injured and it was traumatic for my family.”
Tyler’s story underscores the high stakes for farm workers navigating rural roads daily. “Please be respectful and patient,” he said. “We’re trying to get our job done safely so everyone can get home to their families.”
Critical road safety tips for drivers and farmers
As farm vehicle traffic spikes this season, the Farm Bureau stresses safety measures for both motorists and farmers:
- Drivers: Slow down and keep a safe distance when approaching equipment displaying the bright orange Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblem.
- Avoid passing unless visibility is clear and passing zones are legal.
- Watch for wide turning farm equipment, as tractors may swing out unexpectedly during turns.
- Focus fully on the road ahead, avoiding distractions like cell phones—vehicles traveling at 60 mph cover 88 feet each second.
Farmers should:
- Always display SMV emblems when moving under 25 mph and speed identification symbols (SIS) for travels between 25 and 40 mph.
- Use proper lighting—including flashing amber lights on front and rear—to boost visibility day and night.
- Stay completely within the lane to avoid dangerous soft shoulders and roadside ditches that can cause fatal rollovers.
- Remain alert for vehicles approaching from behind, especially when making turns.
Why Colorado and US drivers must take note now
While this campaign is rooted in New York, the lessons resonate nationally, including Colorado’s rural highways, where farming equipment increasingly shares space with fast-moving traffic. National safety data aligns with these findings: farm vehicle crashes pose disproportionate risks, especially during planting and harvest seasons.
With spring planting underway, this safety alert aims to reduce the surge in fatal crashes nationwide. As David Fisher, President of the New York Farm Bureau, emphasized, “A little patience can save a life.” Drivers must heed these warnings immediately to protect farmers, families, and themselves.
Watch the Farm Bureau’s striking safety videos online at bit.ly/SharetheRoad25 and bit.ly/SharetheRoad25-2 for firsthand accounts and reenactments that bring the danger of rushed driving near farm vehicles into sharp focus.
The time to act is now. Slow down, share the road, and prevent tragic accidents before they happen.
