It’s the time of year for moving hazards on many of our highways. . Triangular signs with the points cut off are seen more frequently on our roads these days….. They’re the reflectorized slow-moving vehicle warning signs on the backs of farm equipment….and it’s the time of year when a lot of that equipment is trundling down our roads…. Highway patrol captain Tim Hull says harvest season seems to have started earlier than usual this year, probably because of the dry weather… Farm equipment has to follow the same traffic laws that cars and trucks…except they have to have that slow moving vehicle sign on the back—-which doesn’t do a lot of good when the tractor or harvester is just below the crest of a hill. Hull says that’s why the Patrol reminds motorists to slow down, especially at dusk, when farmers are moving their machinery back home after a day in the field. Farm equipment can travel on every Missouri road except for interstate highways. Hull says farmers have their own responsibilities. He says they need to be aware of traffic backed up behind them…and pull over, if possible, from time to time before motorists lose their patience and do something impulsive…and dangerous. Last year, two people were killed and 82 were injured in crashes involving farm equipment.
