WISCONSIN — Harvest season has already started across the Badger State.

With the season comes extra safety concerns on Wisconsin roadways as farmers take to the roads with their equipment.

What You Need To Know

  • As harvest season beings across the Badger State, WisDOT and DATCP are encouraging road safety

  • There were 136 reported crashes in Wisconsin last year involving motorists and farm vehicles

  • Patience is important during this time

  • There are 64,100 farms across 14.2 million acres in Wisconsin

Patience is important during this time, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

“It’s harvest time in Wisconsin fields and drivers will see more farm implements on our roadways,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “There have been more than 2,000 crashes involving farm vehicles in Wisconsin over the past five years and these crashes are often preventable. Drivers and farmers must be aware of their surroundings and share the road to ensure we have a safe harvest season.”

There were 136 reported crashes in Wisconsin last year involving motorists and farm vehicles, according to WisDOT. The result was 50 injuries and two fatalities.

There are 64,100 farms across 14.2 million acres in Wisconsin, making it highly likely for drivers to come across farm vehicle operators during the harvest season.

DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski said drivers should be cautious and anticipate slow movement from farm operators.

WisDOT and DATCP also offered the following advice for both drivers and farm vehicle operators.

Driver tips:

  • When driving, be sure to scan the road ahead so that you’re prepared to slow down if you see slow-moving farm vehicles
  • If you decide to pass one of these vehicles, be patient and very cautious; keep in mind, it’s illegal to pass an ag vehicle in a no passing zone in Wisconsin
  • Consider the possibility of a farmer turning left onto a roadway, driveway or field entrance if you are passing

Ag vehicle operator tips:

  • Make sure you know the lighting and marking requirements for ag vehicles, which help to alert other drivers to be cautious
  • Stay as far to the right as possible when traveling on the road
  • Knowing road weight restrictions is also important; you can find those, here, and more information about permits and exemptions, here

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