Farm Machinery and Left-Hand Turns Stats and Facts

FACTS

Three scenarios’ drivers and farmers should know how to handle are passing farm equipment, left-hand turns and braking distance needed at controlled intersections.

  1. Passing: Motorists should wait until they enter a passing zone when considering going around a slow-moving vehicle. Farmers should not pull over in a no-passing zone to let vehicles pass, unless the road shoulder condition and width can allow for the farm machinery to completely move onto the shoulder. Farmers should also not wave a driver forward to pass them. In a passing zone, or if shoulder width permits, farmers are obligated to yield the roadway to the overtaking vehicle, so they do not impede the normal movement of traffic.
  2. Left-hand turn: It can turn into a dangerous situation when a farmer is attempting to make a left-hand turn. Farm equipment, especially the tractor, will likely have two flashing amber or yellow lights on the cab or tire fenders of the tractor when in operation on the roadway. When a farmer signals to turn, the light will continue to flash in the direction the farmer is turning. The other light will go solid. For motorists, this is a very important distinction to recognize.
  3. A controlled intersection: When a motorist legally passes large farm equipment within a very short distance of a controlled intersection (stop sign or stop lights), this action can dramatically impact the reaction time and braking distance for the farm equipment operator. Farm equipment is much heavier than a normal passenger vehicle which makes having adequate braking distance critical for the operator.

STATS

  • 1 in 10 operators overturns a tractor in his or her lifetime.
  • 80% of deaths caused by tractor overturns involve experienced operators.
  • 108 pedestrians and bicyclists were killed by left turning vehicles.
  • Left turn injuries occurred at 18% of total NYC intersections.

Causes of Left-Hand Turn Accidents

  • False assumptions of other’s action — NHTSA data cites this critical driver error in intersection-related crashes as responsible for 8.4% of total left turn crashes.
  • Illegal maneuvering — This decision error is cited by NHTSA in 6.8% of intersection-related crashes involving left turns.
  • Inattention — NHTSA cites this in 3.4% of intersection-related crashes involving left turns.
  • Left-hand-turn collisions and rear-end collisions account for nearly 50% of all accidents involving motorists and farm equipment operators.