Summer Traffic Includes Motorists and Farmers

Summer Traffic Includes Motorists and Farmers

It's not just road construction crews that motorists need to be aware of this summer. Slow moving farm machinery, including trucks, tractors, and combines, may also be on the roadway. The Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Katy Coba shares some advice:
Coba: "Motorists hear a lot about, in the summertime and safe driving, a lot more drivers on the road, often that's the time you have road construction. So they are constantly hearing the message, slow down. This is the exact same message. If you see farm equipment on the road, we just need you to slow down."
It is legal for farmers to drive equipment on public roads. Farmers normally try to avoid using the higher traveled roads as much as possible, but sometimes that just can't happen. Coba has advice for farmers as well:
Coba: "Extra caution, look around you before you are turning right or left, realize there are going to be some motorists that are going to be irritated and in places where you can pull over and go by, let them do that."
Coba urges motorists to go slow and be patient when they have to share the road with a tractor or other farm equipment.
Coba: "Sometimes you can come up on a tractor and you think, boy this is the last thing I need. I'm late for an appointment. What's he even doing on the road? There are some cases where it's unavoidable for farm equipment to be on the road.”
Coba adds that hopefully motorists will realize that farmers are producing food for the public and just be patient as farmers are moving their equipment.

 

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