Deadliest Driving Day Of The Year: Road Safety Tips For Farmers

Today is the deadliest driving day of the year.

According to a study conducted by Nationwide Insurance, August is the deadliest month to be on the road. The study also reported that today, Aug. 2, is the deadliest day of the year.

The study noted 15,914 people died in motor vehicle crashes in August during a five-year span from 2012 to 2016. Of the 15,914 deaths, 505 fatalities happened on Aug. 2.

Summer road construction, hard breaking and suddenly speeding up are all leading factors to vehicle crashes along with congested traffic, which has been the top cause for accident deaths over the past five years.

Farm accidents also contribute to these statistics. With harvest season quickly approaching, here are some safety tips to consider this month and throughout the year.

• When driving behind farm machinery, stay back, use caution and have patience. Noise from the equipment's motor and tires may make it difficult for the driver to hear approaching vehicles.
• Machinery should display a slow-moving vehicle emblem when traveling under 30 mph and should include flashing amber lights in both the front and rear.
• Use pilot vehicles, one in front and one in back, if you are going a long distance or traveling on a heavily traveled road. Pilot vehicles should be well marked with brightly colored flags or appropriate lighting.
• If you are towing a trailer, heaviest items should go centered side-to-side, and the tongue weight should be between 10 percent and 15 percent of the total trailer weight. This gives the trailer the most stability, without overloading the hitch.

For more road safety tips, read these following articles:

• Safety Tips for Towing Big Trailers
• Watch For Farm Equipment On Roads During Planting Season
• Fall Means Farm Equipment On Roads
• When Seconds Count: Respectfully Share The Road During Fall Harvest