Missouri - MoDOT cautions motorists to watch out for slow-moving vehicles

                                                           

It's harvest time on Missouri farms, and MoDOT wants to remind motorists to pay extra attention to farm equipment using and crossing state roadways.

"Harvest season is a busy time of the year for Missouri's farm families, and MoDOT wants to make it a safe time of year too," said MoDOT Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer Nicole Hood. "Farm equipment vehicles can be slow-moving, and motorists may be surprised when they come up behind one on a Missouri highway."

Missouri's 34,000 miles of state roadways pass alongside the fields of thousands of farms throughout the state. Farm equipment vehicles were involved in 582 crashes in the three years of 2014 through 2016.  These crashes resulted in 17 people being killed and 199 injured. 

"Contrary to what some may believe, these crashes do not just occur on county roadways," Hood said.  "While the majority of these crashes occurred on letter routes and county roads, some crashes also occurred on interstates and other high-speed roadways."

Motorists are advised to slow down when approaching farm vehicles. Be patient as the farm vehicles travel to their field entrances. In passing zones, please wait until it is safe, and pass at a safe distance and speed.