A crash involving farm equipment has prompted the OPP to issue a warning about vehicles sharing the road.
Around 6 p.m. Monday, officers from the Kingsville detachment responded to a collision on Road 2 East in Kingsville involving a farm tractor and a passenger vehicle.
Police say both drivers were treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The OPP is using this incident to educate drivers, especially those in rural areas, on the importance of safely sharing the roads with farm equipment. The message is a strong one at this time of year.
"An increasing number of farmers are operating from more than one site, which increases the amount of time that farm vehicles are on the road," said OPP Constable Steven Duguay. "With harvest season upon us, you can expect to encounter farm equipment on the roadway as you drive through Essex County."
Farm vehicles are easily identified with a reflective orange triangle on the rear, and most can only travel as fast as 35 kilometres per hour. Duguay said you should slow down immediately if you see one ahead of you.
Other tips being passed along by the OPP include the following.
- Drivers should be wary of left turns made by farm equipment drivers, as many vehicles don't have turn signals. Watch for the same hand signals used by bicycle riders.
- Farm vehicles carrying large or wide cargo will need extra space to make turns. Should a tractor swing right, watch as it may be preparing for a left turn. The principle also applies to passing. Wait for a safe opportunity to pass, as farm equipment may be wider than a single lane and carry protruding cargo that is difficult to spot.
- Never brake-check a farm vehicle. If you suddenly stop or slow down in front of one, it may have trouble stopping before it hits you.
- Farm vehicle operators should be treated with the same courtesy given to drivers of passenger vehicles.
