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MAKING RURAL ROADS SAFER

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MAKING RURAL ROADS SAFER

Introduction
Transporting agricultural machinery from one field to another via public roads is a necessity for most farmers. Whether it involves moving produce during the harvest season or relocating heavy equipment from one field to another, the only way to do this is by road. However, due to their size and slow moving nature, this can be hazardous to both agricultural vehicles and other road users.

Each year, incidents involving tractors and other farm machinery occur on public roads which can cause costly equipment damage, injuries and deaths to all groups of road users. In past years numerous people have been injured in road collisions involving agricultural vehicles in Cheshire.

Statistics have shown the group of road users most at risk from agricultural vehicles to be motorcyclists. In past years motorcyclists have been involved in road collisions resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.

All motorists must take responsibility for ensuring their own and each other's safety were agricultural vehicles are involved.

Advice and the law
Mud on the road
Farmers are responsible for cleaning mud off the road dropped on public roads by their own vehicle and livestock.
Mud can be a significant hazard to other motorists, particularly motorcyclists, and can result in serious, even fatal collisions.

Allowing traffic past when causing a tailback
It is inevitable that slow-moving vehicles will cause a tailback on public roads but it is important for the driver tom pull over and allows traffic to pass at the earliest opportunity.

Frustrated motorists may become impatient and attempt to overtake when it is not safe. They do this at their own risk.

Lights
Lights should be kept clean and in good working order to make sure that other road users can see the intended movements of the vehicle.

Amber warning beacons
Amber warning beacons can be fitted to tractors which are not capable of exceeding 25 mph to alert other motorists to the presence of a slow moving vehicle. Under certain circumstances it may be a legal requirement

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