The chance of a collision between tractors or farm machinery on the roads and other motor vehicles increases considerably as the hours of poor visibility also increase.

"Poor visibility increases a driver’s reaction time," says George Maher, an agricultural safety specialist with the North Dakota State University Extension Service. "If you are operating a tractor or other farm machinery, it's your responsibility to make sure other drivers can see you."

Any vehicle, farm machinery included, traveling 25 miles per hour or slower on North Dakota public roads is required to have a Slow Moving Vehicle sign mounted, visible to the rear. The sign should be mounted in the center of the vehicle with the bottom of the sign 2 to 6 feet from the ground and the point of the triangular sign pointing upwards. The sign should be reflective and visible from at least 600 feet away. Newer signs are available that are visible from 1,200 feet away.

Maher urges operators to use reflectors on all farm machinery that travels on roads. They should be installed to indicate the maximum width of the machine on both sides. Reflectors must show red to the rear and amber to the front. A red reflector should never be visible from the front.

Reflectors should also be visible from the sides of the machine if it extends more than 33 feet behind the tractor hitch point. "Without side reflectors, drivers may believe there is nothing directly behind the tractor and attempt to pull out from a side road directly behind the tractor and collide with the unseen implement," Maher says

Likewise, hazard lights should always be used day and night on the road, he says. "Your hazard lights are the other driver’s first warning that there is slow moving equipment ahead." They should flash at a rate of 60 to 85 flashes per minute. When a hazard light is used to signal a turn, the rate of flashing will increase by 20 flashes per minute. When one hazard light indicates a turn, the opposite light should show a continuous light and not flash.

"Moving farm equipment after dark is very risky. It requires use of proper lighting for clearance and visibility. The tractor or combine driver needs to clearly see the road as does the driver of an approaching car or truck, so use the headlights," Maher says. Tractors and combines should have both high and low beams on the headlights.

Just as for cars and trucks, use headlights on tractors and combines when visibility is less than 1,000 feet. Dim the high beams at least 500 feet before meeting oncoming traffic and within 300 feet of the rear of traffic in front.

It is not legal to use the field lights on a tractor or combine for road lights. "Those lights send a confusing message to other drivers approaching from front or rear. They won't know what is ahead of them," Maher notes. Tractors and combines should also have one red taillight mounted on the extreme left side of the machine. If another taillight is used, it should be mounted to the extreme right side of the machine.

"The driver of farm machinery on the road has a responsibility to know what other traffic is nearby. Properly mounted mirrors allow the driver to remain seated, looking forward, and still see what traffic is following," Maher says. "Be sure mirrors are large enough for a good field of view and aimed correctly. They need to be clean enough for good vision, too."

It is not legal or safe to use the headlights of a vehicle behind the farm machinery to light your way. "If the farm machinery does not have proper lighting equipment then it should not be moved on public roads when visibility is poor," Maher says. "Safe lighting is not difficult or expensive to retrofit and maintain on tractors and farm machinery, especially when compared to the cost of an accident or collision."