Prevent Farm Vehicle Accidents This Summer: Safety Tips
Every summer, farmers take to the roadways to tend to the crops they have planted to feed us. Their jobs are essential. When you are driving near farm land, it is important to understand how to prevent farm vehicle accidents to keep ourselves and other safe. On July 9, 2020, a terrible accident occurred in Hardy County, West Virginia, where a pick up truck traveling on Route 259 in the Mathias area collided with a farm tractor that was stopped in the roadway. The tractor had been stopped to make a left turn into a driveway. The collision caused the driver of the tractor to the ejected from the vehicle. He later died from his injuries.
Tips to keep you and farm vehicle drivers safe this summer:
- Stay Alert. Keep a watch out for amber flashing light that pinpoint the far ends of farm equipment. There might also be reflective tape on the ends of the equipment to increase its visibility.
- Slow Down. AS SOON as you see farming equipment, SLOW DOWN. These vehicles usually travel very slowly, some traveling 15-25 mph. At those speeds, it will take less than 7 seconds for a car traveling 55 mph to rear-end a tractor that is approximately 300-400 feet away.
- Pass Carefully. Farmers driving farming equipment often pull over on the shoulder to allow motorists behind them to pass safely. But, if a farmer doesn’t pull over and you feel you must pass, DO SO VERY CAUTIOUSLY! You should avoid passing on blind curves, hills or when your view of oncoming vehicles is blocked.
- Leave Plenty of Space. Stay about 50 feet behind farm equipment on the roadway. Because large machines can’t stop on a dime, leave plenty of space between you and farm equipment if you are passing.
- Watch for road signs. Often, roads that are located near farms will have yellow signs with the silhouette of a farmer on a tractor displayed near them. These signs warn drivers that they are entering an area where slow-moving vehicles might be in the road. Pay close attention when you are traveling in these areas.
Experienced Accident Lawyers
The five lawyers at the Ritchie Law Firm have more 145 years of combined experienced handling farm vehicle accident cases. Throughout the nearly half century history of the Ritchie Law Firm, our lawyers have handled thousands of devastating crash cases involving serious and complex injuries such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, internal organ damage, multiple bone fractures, and even death.
You should not have to bear the financial burden of a wreck that was caused by a negligent driver in a farm vehicle accident. At the Ritchie Law Firm, we can help you hold the other driver accountable and help you get the compensation you need to pay your bills and recover.
Talk with a Virginia and West Virginia Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one suffered significant injuries in a vehicle accident in Virginia or West Virginia, the Ritchie Law Firm is here to help. The experienced, certified attorneys at the Ritchie Law Firm have helped thousands of injured victims and their families recover the compensation they deserve after an accident. Contact us by phone at
800-277-6124
or by using our online contact form.
Ritchie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm devoted to helping individuals who have suffered serious and catastrophic injuries or lost a loved one as a result of someone else’s negligence. Ritchie Law Firm serves all of Virginia, while helping clients in cities and surrounding areas of Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, and Winchester also serves clients in West Virginia, including Martinsburg, WV.
