Maryland — The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Agriculture and Maryland Farm Bureau, is reminding motorists to drive carefully around farm equipment as the fall harvest gets underway.
State Highway Administrator Will Pines noted that with shorter days and more large, slow-moving equipment on roads, extra caution is needed. “We are serious about safety – for all highway users, including those operating farm equipment,” Pines said.
Maryland is home to more than 12,000 working farms, and combines, tractors, and other harvest equipment are increasingly visible on roads between September and November. From 2020 to 2024, more than 235 crashes involving farm equipment occurred on Maryland roads. “October is harvest month and a vital time for farmers,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin M. Atticks. “Expect slow-moving farm equipment on roads. Drive with caution, slow down, maintain safe distances, and only pass when safe. Your vigilance ensures safety for both farmers and drivers, supporting a successful harvest.”
Farmers often pull off the road at the first safe location to allow vehicles to pass, but road shoulders may be soft, wet, or steep, making it unsafe for heavy farm vehicles to move aside. Maryland Farm Bureau President Jamie Raley emphasized, “Our farmers work hard in order to sustain our state, so let’s support them by keeping them safe while they do their job. When encountering farm equipment on the road, please slow down, remain vigilant, and only pass when it is safe and legal to do so.”
Officials also offer these safety tips for drivers: pass farm equipment with caution and avoid passing on turns, hills, or where sight distance is limited; be mindful of vehicles behind you; never pass in a designated “No Passing Zone” or within 100 feet of intersections, bridges, railroad crossings, or tunnels; and do not assume a farm vehicle pulling to the right is turning right, as some implements require wide left turns.
A safety video featuring an Eastern Shore farmer is available from the Maryland Farm Bureau at https://youtu.be/LWoBtKdr-Do. More information about agriculture and road safety in Maryland can be found at mda.maryland.gov, roads.maryland.gov, and mdfarmbureau.com.
