Road safety amid planting season: OFA

A combine and a grain buggy unloading corn in an undated image. (Kate Otterbein/CTV News Windsor)

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is advising drivers to be cautious while sharing the roads with farm equipment.

Across Ontario, farmers are taking to the fields to get crops planted in the small window available to do so. The OFA is reminding drivers of the following tips to ensure everyone’s safety:

• Be alert for flashing lights and the slow-moving vehicle sign, a reflective orange triangle

• Slow down when you see the slow-moving vehicle sign. The law requires you to slow down to the speed of the vehicle before passing
• Be patient. Vehicles that improperly pass farm equipment could lead to serious accidents
• Share the road. Farmers have a limited window to plant and harvest crops
• Stay in your lane. Farm equipment is long and wide and goes slower than other vehicles

The OFA said following these tips while staying vigilant and prioritizing safety is how everyone gets home safe.