According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, only a small percentage of fatalities and injuries on Minnesota roads are due to farm vehicles.
In 2007, five people died and 84 were injured with farm vehicles. Compared to the 510 killed and 35,318 that were injured this is an incredibly small number.
According to Lt. Jeff Westrum of the state patrol, the most farm accidents occur in spring. This is due to the planting and plowing season. Less accidents happen in mid-summer during hay-cutting and harvesting in the fall.
“Because of their size, they take a big piece of roadway, which they are legally allowed to do,” he said. Farm vehicles move slowly so drivers sometimes hit them from behind. “People just aren’t giving them enough room,” Westrum said. He also added that people are impatient and try to pass when they do not have enough room.
Lisa Behnken, an Extension Office crop specialist in Rochester said that another problem is the size of implements. This causes farmers to avoid smaller gravel roads where bridges aren’t big enough, and like most vehicles tractors have blind spots, too.
In general people are warned to take time and be extremely cautious in these driving situations.
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