(KNSI) – Drivers are reminded to share the road with farm equipment as harvest season gets underway. Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck says drivers need to pay extra attention to farm equipment this time of year.
“They’re very busy this time of year, and they they’re doing important work and sometimes working long hours, and they’re just doing their best to try to make sure that they can get the food they’ve grown to us, and we just need to give them some space and and move around them safely to make sure that everybody gets to their destination.”
He says it’s important to be patient because most accidents occur when a driver is in a hurry. Heck reminds people also to keep the cell phone down.
“You combine a large farm vehicle with a distracted driver and very bad things can happen. So we’re really emphasizing the point of always putting away the distractions but especially this time of year when you might crest that hill on there could be a three ton tractor or truck just trying to get along. You want to be having your eyes up on the road.”
Expect to see farm equipment on the roads and in the fields over the next few weeks.