(KNOX) – Come midnight October 3, rural roads in North Dakota and Minnesota will be busy, as the American Crystal Sugar stockpile harvest rolls into high gear.
Crystal Sugar harvested a record 12.7 million tons of sugar beets in 2023, just under 32-tons per acre.
Motorists traveling on rural roads should be aware of large farm equipment transporting crops to markets, grain elevators and processing plants. County sheriffs and respective Departments of Transportation urge motorists to share the road with harvesting equipment through the harvests of sugar beets, corn, soybeans and sunflowers… and keep those headlights on!
Crash data shows there were 446 crashes involving farm equipment in Minnesota from 2021 through 2023, resulting in eight deaths and 171 injuries.
“With the fall harvest season underway, Minnesota farmers need our public roads to access their fields and transport crops,” said Brian Sorenson, state traffic engineer. “We can keep everyone safe by putting away our phones and other distractions while driving, and scanning for slow-moving farm vehicles while traveling rural roads throughout the state.”
Farm equipment is large and heavy, making it hard for operators to accelerate, slow down and stop. The equipment also makes wide turns and sometimes crosses over the center line. In addition, farm vehicles can create large blind spots, making it difficult for operators to see approaching vehicles.
Motorists should:
- Slow down and use caution when approaching farm equipment
- Watch for debris dropped by farm equipment
- Drive with headlights on at all times
- Be patient and wait for a safe place to pass
Farm equipment operators should:
- Use lights and flashers to make equipment more visible
- Use slow-moving vehicle emblems on equipment traveling less than 30 mph
- Consider using a follow vehicle when moving equipment, especially at night
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