First of all, let me say that I am a little late with this one, but feel like it is still important information. The cool crisp mornings and smell of peanut dust and cotton defoliant marks the end of another growing season. I am not sure if those smells are what folks like about this time of year or if it is football and deer season. Whatever you enjoy about fall, there are a few things we need to think about when we are out and about this time of year.
We are well into harvest season and that means large bulky equipment, trailers, and tractors. At times some of these guys might cause you to be a little later than you wanted but don’t complain too much. If you are wearing any piece of cotton clothing or if you enjoy the affordable food you eat you should really thank that slow tractor driver, and be proud that you know where your food and fiber is produced.
Remember not only is harvest equipment big and bulky, but it is also pretty slow. 35 mph is the peak speed of the fastest equipment and 20 is probably the fastest most of harvest machinery is moving. I won’t bore you with the math but if you were driving the speed limit (65) on highway 96 (like everyone does) and you see a cotton picker up ahead you would gain almost 60 feet on them every second. Long story short you catch up pretty fast. When you see a piece of farm equipment go ahead and plan to pass them but do it safely. Remember this equipment is not just slow but it is also wide.
For farmers harvesting crops like soybeans peanuts and even pecans we also need to be aware of what we are doing. Harvest processes and equipment can cause clouds of dust. This dust is hard to see through especially when driving. We need to take extra caution to avoid situations like this near busy highways. If we try and schedule these activities around busy times of day it should help alleviate any issues. It is also good to have a vehicle follow or lead you depending on the situation. On major highways it is a good practice to have as many flashing lights on equipment as you can stand in addition to your slow moving vehicle emblem and an escort. On narrow country roads it is a good practice to have a lead vehicle in front of large equipment to let oncoming traffic know to use caution.
There are other hazards out there this time of year as well, that’s right, deer. During fall the woods and roads can be a dangerous place. We are getting into the heart of of deer breeding season. This means that both does and bucks will be running all over the place. During this time of year does are in heat and lets just say bucks aren’t doing much thinking. They are pretty much like a hound on fresh scent. They get tunnel vision and often that leads to deer car collisions.
I couldn’t find the numbers, but I am sure that the majority of accidents involving deer are from the deer hitting the car and not the other way around. According to State Farms records Georgia has dropped from the top 10 in deer/vehicle accidents but these situations still occur with about 1 in every 200 drivers in Georgia. Last year West Virginia was number 1 with 1 in 40 chance of hitting a deer mostly because of the miles of two lane roads surrounded by wooded right of ways. So what can you do to not be the one?
Be aware of posted crossing signs, I guess the deer know to cross where there is a sign. Be aware especially early evening and morning when deer are more active. Deer whistles on cars do not work so don’t rely on them. If a collision is inevitable it is best to avoid swerving. At high speeds swerving can often cause a loss of control which can result in more dangerous accidents.
We should always be careful on the roads and respect the power of our vehicles and the ones around us, but take extra care this time of year. Get up a little earlier, enjoy the crisp mornings and take it a little slower so that you, your family and our farmers can all be safe. Contact your County Agent if you have questions or comments about this or other agricultural topics.
