5-2-19 farm bureau urges safety on roads with farm equipment

Spring means one thing for farmers, it’s time to hit the fields.  The Wiscsonsin Farm Bureau is reminding motorists and farmers that safety has to be a top priority for everyone sharing the road.  Farm Bureau spokeswoman Sara Hetke says since 2011 the Wisconsin  Department of Transportation has recorded more than 1,300 crashes involving agricultural equipment, resulting in 678 injuries and 26 deaths.  Hetke says the key for motorists is being patient and realizing that tractors and other implements of husbandry are often large and slow-moving which can cause confusion for drivers sharing the roads.   Three scenarios drivers and farmers should know how to handle are passing farm equipment, left-hand turns and braking distance needed at controlled intersections.