Agriculture is a major industry in our state, with nearly 57,000 farm operations across Indiana. Each fall, these farmers are hard at work harvesting their crops, and drivers are more likely to encounter heavy farm equipment on our roadways. Please remember to slow down, share the road and stay safe this harvest season.
In our rural communities, it's especially important to be on the lookout for heavy machinery this time of year, such as combines, semi-trucks and trailers. Indiana's State Department of Agriculture offers many tips to drivers who encounter farmers on the road like not following equipment too closely in case of sudden stops. Give yourself ample time to get to your destination and consider alternative routes to avoid slow-moving farm machinery. Lookout for slow moving vehicle signs, which are an orange triangle with a red reflective border that serves as a warning to other drivers that the vehicle only moves 25 mph or less.
Always look for oncoming traffic when attempting to pass large farm equipment. Farmers will often attempt to pull over to the side of the road to allow motorists to pass when they can safely do so. Also, consider that farmers may not be pulling over for you to pass and instead are making a wide left turn. To stay safe, make sure you slow down, pay attention to turn signals and don't assume the driver can see you. Wait to pass until you know it's safe, and never pass near intersections, railroad crossings, bridges, tunnels or curving roads.
We all rely on farmers in so many ways. Let's all give them plenty of room to reach their destinations safely by slowing down and watching out for each other on the roads. To learn more about road safety during the fall, visit in.gov/isda. To all the farmers working hard in Shelby County, thank you for your dedication and I wish you a successful harvest season.
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State Rep. Cory Criswell (R-Middletown) represents House District 54,
which includes portions of Hancock, Henry, Rush and Shelby counties.
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