Mt. Vernon Register-News

Local

October 3, 2008

Harvest season accidents occur in Jefferson County

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — For the second morning in a row, Jefferson Fire Protection District was called in response to motor vehicle accidents on Route 142 between the Continental Tire North America and Shawnee Street — and both involved grain trucks in some capacity.

Both accidents happened in the same place, with the first on Wednesday after a car attempted to pass a truck making a wide right hand turn, and the one of Thursday involving a car which rear-ended a pickup truck which was stopped for a grain truck turning off the roadway.

“This is the time of year to be aware of farm trucks and farm equipment,” Jefferson Fire Protection District Chief Mike Huntman said. “During harvest time, you’ve got combines on the road, tractors on the road, and slow-moving trucks and tractors pulling grain wagons. Drivers need to be aware that the farm equipment is moving on and off the road, and they’ll be moving off the road into dirt lanes many times. A lot of people driving don’t anticipate them turning like that.”

Two weeks ago, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois Department of Agriculture put out information to remind motorists that farm equipment is now on the roadways.

“I’m asking for the patience and understanding of motorists during the harvest season,” Acting Ag Director Tom Jennings stated. “Because of the planting delays caused by heavy spring rains this year, farmers will have a very limited time in which to harvest their crops in order to get them in storage before the first frost. So, it’s more important than ever that motorists be alert for slow-moving farm vehicles and share the roadway until the harvest is complete.”

Huntman said the potential for large numbers of accidents involving motorists and farm equipment is present in the county.

“Most of the time, you don’t have a main road where these trucks and tractors are turning on and off of,” Huntman said. “It’s usually a country road. People can’t go as fast on the country roads as they do on the highway, so they stop quicker. Drivers still have to be aware, because those country roads can have hills and valleys, and you can come up on a tractor or truck pretty quick. Also, farmers are working 16 hour days if they have to at this time of year, and they’re tired too. It’s just in the best interest of everybody to slow down, pay attention and use caution.”

Last year, there were four fatalities in the state involving crashes between cars and farm equipment. During the last seven years, there have been 1,751 crashes which have resulted in 37 deaths and 502 injuries, according to IDOT.

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