Farmers, motorists should take care during late harvest

Farmers should be careful when driving on the road in the dark.
Farmers should be careful when driving on the road in the dark.
Many producers are pushing their farm equipment and themselves in order to get this year's late harvest done.

However, doing so may cause some to be more susceptible to accidents, as speedy work may turn into carelessness. A recent editorial from South Dakota's Aberdeen American encouraged farmers to be careful as they work their fields.

"Farming is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world," the editorial said. "The national rate for farm accident deaths is 22.1 per 100,000 workers."

Many of those who work with farm equipment may find themselves driving down the road with their machinery as they go from field to field. However, the darker hours brought on by winter could make this more dangerous for harvesters and motorists.

In order to avoid this, people driving cars need to keep an eye out for farm equipment, and should slow down if they encounter it. Furthermore, farmers should be sure to have their vehicles properly lit and marked.

Farmers should also be careful while they are working with the harvesting equipment. They should make sure to turn off their machines if they have to work on them.
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