In light of National Farm Safety and Health Week, which will be held through Sept. 24, a farm equipment exhibit at the State Fair of Virginia will be dedicated to highlighting best practices for farmers moving equipment on public roads.
The state fair will be hosted from Sept. 23 to Oct. 2 at the Meadow Event Park in Virginia.
“When I have to travel with my equipment on the road, it can be scary,” said Will Roberts, a farmer who is familiar with using heavy equipment. “People get impatient or fly up on me when I’m traveling with my equipment and it is dangerous.”
A slow-moving vehicle, such as a combine or dual-wheel tractor, can take up more than one lane of a two-lane road. This can create safety issues for drivers and equipment operators alike. Under Virginia state law, tractors and other agricultural equipment must travel 25 miles per hour or slower on public roads. Additionally, they must be marked with triangular slow-moving vehicle emblems.
“I try to use an escort vehicle when I can, and if I’m able, I pull off to the side of the road so drivers can go past me,” Roberts continued. “I try to have respect for drivers who need to get down the road, but I have a job to do and need to get by also.”
There will be information on operator safety and how drivers can remain safe while sharing the road at the exhibit. Tickets to the event cost $15 for adults at the gate, and children between the ages of 5 and 12 can enter for $11. Kids under 4 are free with an adult.