As Illinois’ corn and soybean producers get under way harvesting their crops, rural roads and even some city streets will be seeing a major uptick in farm equipment traffic.
Drivers should be aware that most agriculture equipment will be travelling much more slowly than car traffic. According to the University of Illinois Extension Service, a car travelling at 55 mph takes five seconds to brake 300 feet, the length of a football field, to avoid rear-ending farm equipment travelling at 15 mph.
Most pieces of farm equipment are very large, and the operators have limited visibility, especially at the rear of the equipment, so motorists should exercise caution when approaching them on the roadway.
The Extension Service recommends that motorists assume that the driver of the implement cannot see them, slow down when they see farm equipment, give themselves plenty of space, be prepared to stop, and make sure the farmer is not preparing to turn before attempting to pass them.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, only 6 percent of the state’s corn has been harvested, along with just 2 percent of soybeans. But the agency says that 47 percent of the Illinois corn crop is considered mature, along with 63 percent of soybeans.
This means that farmers will soon be hitting the fields hard.
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