Safety campaign raises awareness of farm machinery on the road
By Jennifer Jackson
Farmers across the Prairies are preparing their equipment for spring seeding and the inevitable travel on public roadways. Ag for Life, along with the Alberta Government Traffic Safety Fund, has released four public service announcements as part of its Be Seen and Be Safe campaign to remind the public to be safe and aware of slow moving farm equipment.
“Give slow moving farm equipment plenty of room to be safe on roads and highways, so that yourself and your farm neighbours arrive home safe,” reads one of the announcements, released April 5.
The Be Seen and Be Safe campaign is particularly directed towards young and new drivers. They may not understand the risks that can arise on rural roads, Kaley Segboer, communications and marketing coordinator for Ag for Life, said in a Cochrane Now article on April 7.
Also, the program is designed so drivers know “to be aware that those large pieces of farm equipment are not moving at the same rate of speed as us in our cars and truck. They can’t react in the same way, they are not able to stop as quickly, and they have large blind spots, even a truck hauling a livestock trailer has a larger braking distance,” she said to Cochrane Now.
Ag for Life supplies various safety programs for those on the farm, regardless of age. The organization takes special interest in educating children in rural and farm safety. In 2016, Ag for Life educated over 150,000 youth, children and their families with safety programs.
Farms.com has reached out to Ag for Life to learn how farmers can get involved in the campaign.
Drive safe and happy spring!