Keep Iowa’s roads safe

Spring is a time when slow-moving farm vehicles begin to reappear on roadways dominated by faster-paced traffic. That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who lives in farm country. Even so, all of us should pay special heed to safety considerations as we share the roads with agricultural vehicles.

Iowa has been doing a good job of keeping accidents involving farm vehicles to a minimum. According to data from the Iowa Department of Transportation, fatalities and major injuries resulting from such accidents were less in 2007 than they were the previous year. That’s encouraging news.

Keeping that favorable trend headed in the right direction is an important goal as 2008 unfolds.

The Iowa DOT has the following advice for motorists:

• Be alert and always watch for slow-moving vehicles.

• Be patient. Don’t assume the farmer can move aside to let you pass. The shoulder may be unable to support a heavy farm vehicle.

• Slow down as soon as you see the triangular-shaped red and fluorescent orange SMV emblem.

Those are sensible suggestions that everyone should follow.

It’s also important for people operating farm vehicles to take responsibility for their role in preventing accidents. The DOT has the following tips for them:

• Make your intentions known when turning by using signal lights or the appropriate hand signal in advance of the turn.

• Drive slow-moving vehicles in the right-hand lane as close to the edge of the roadway as safely possible. Traveling half on the shoulder may cause motorists to risk passing in a dangerous situation.

• Don’t encourage or signal motorists to pass. Pull over where it is safe and let traffic go by.

If farm vehicle operators and the rest of us adhere carefully to these admonitions, many tragedies can be averted. The key is for everyone to make safety a priority.