Have you ever had to adjust your speed for a slow-moving farm vehicle on the road?  It is a seasonal scene across the province—and for some drivers, it is an inconvenient one. Did you know that, following a slow-moving vehicle for 4km at 40km/hour takes only 6 minutes of your time, but can help keep you safe?  

It is the season where Nova Scotia’s farmers will be moving equipment between fields on public roads to work their fields, or perhaps, reach remote parts of their farms. While the details of farm work may be invisible to many, agriculture depends on these movements to keep our food system and economy running smoothly. These movements make it possible for you to find nutritious fruits, vegetables, meat and condiments for your daily consumption. 

  Here’s how you can play an important role to keep everyone including yourself safe: 

1. Slow down early- When you see a farm machinery, reduce your speed. If you’re travelling at 80 km/hr you’ll close the gap to farm equipment much more quickly than you might expect.  Approaching too quickly creates a risk, especially if the farmer needs to make a turn or avoid an obstacle. 

2. Look for signs and turn signals – Farm equipment often makes wide left turns into fields or driveways. What looks like a move to the right shoulder may actually be preparation for a left turn. Be patient, never assume they are pulling over to let you pass until you see their turn signal on.  Farm equipment drivers will travel with their four-way flashers on to improve their visibility. It’s easy to tune- out those flashers, but check closely before you attempt to pass, in case they are indicating a left turn. Newer equipment will have turn signals that, when the turn indicator is on, the amber flashing warning light opposite of the turn direction stops flashing and becomes steady to eliminate confusion. 

3. Be aware – Do not assume they can see you because you can see them. Large farm equipment can have significant blind spots. Never pass on hills, curves, or where you cannot see oncoming traffic. Wait for a clear, straight stretch and make sure the operator sees you before you pass. And never pass slow-moving vehicles on a solid center line – the rules of the road still apply. 

4. Be patient and courteous – Farmers are not trying to delay you. In fact, most will pull over to let traffic by when it’s safe. They need a big, solid, smooth surface and often the road shoulder is not safe to travel on. It is unsafe to pull over and let you pass when there are conditions such as hills, fog, ditches, narrow or soft shoulders, wide equipment or other obstacles.  A little patience can prevent a tragedy. 

Farming can be an all day and everyday job. During growing and harvesting seasons, farmers may be on the road early in the morning, afternoon or evening. So next time you get held up behind a farm vehicle on the road, remember they are not blocking the road, they are feeding your community. Safety is a two-way street; let’s all play our roles and work together to ensure everyone gets home safely. 

For more information on the One Road Campaign, visit farmsafetyns.ca/oneroad/