Jasper – Farmers across Dubois County are now returning to their fields for the spring planting season, which means an increase in farming equipment on the roadways. Drivers should be on the lookout for orange triangular slow-moving vehicle signs on the back of farming machinery. These signs indicate a vehicle is traveling at 25 miles per hour or slower and drivers should be prepared to slow down as they approach.
“Our community has a strong agricultural base, and there will be many tractors on the road in the coming weeks,” said Terry Hoffman, Dubois County Farm Bureau president.
Hoffman said that many drivers don’t realize how fast they may close in on a tractor or farm machinery.
“It only takes about five seconds to close a gap the size of a football field if a car is going 55 mph and a tractor is going 15 mph,” he said.
Farm equipment is wide, sometimes taking up most of the roadway. Drivers are asked to be patient with farmers on the road. Most farmers will pull over at the first safe opportunity to let other vehicles pass, but drivers should be certain that a tractor is pulling over rather than planning a left turn.
Farmers on roadways are going to or from work. Please be alert and patient with farming machinery on the roads this spring as farming is an important part of the economy of Dubois County.
