(NAFB) It’s common to see farm equipment moving from field to field at spring planting and fall harvest. Unfortunately, accidents are also common on rural roads. University of Iowa Associate Professor Cara Hamann researches farm safety and works with the Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center and Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health. She says even more, unfortunately.
Hamann says there’s plenty of messaging centered on farmers.
And while there’s plenty of responsibility on farmers to stay vigilant, Hamann stresses more onus should be on other vehicle drivers.
Still, there are trends in the data showing common factors that make up an accident.
Hamann says then there’s the obvious: driver distraction when they’re on their phone or maybe reaching to grab something. So, what can a farmer operator do to avoid accidents?
A lot of the accidents could have been prevented with patience, Hamann says. In many cases, when farm equipment is on the road, they’re just moving to the next field, and they’ll be off the road after a few minutes. She adds in her research on road safety, one surprise is another demographic to be informed, found between the fields of suburban areas…tape.
Associate Professor Cara Hamann of the University of Iowa.
