Farmers are asking all motorists to look out, slow down, and take care.
That’s the message of the Common Roads, Common Sense campaign for travelling on country roads.
The initiative was developed by the National Farmers’ Federation and launched today near Wagga Wagga by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack.
NFF Chief Executive Officer, Tony Mahar, said large agricultural vehicles (LAV) such as tractors, harvesters and spray rigs, were particularly active on public roads around this time of year.
“Across Australia’s grain growing areas, harvest is starting or fast approaching and when farmers are moving machinery between paddocks they often require time on public roads,” Mr Mahar said.
“For motorists, encountering an LAV can be nerve wracking and confusing.”
Mr McCormack said it was imperative to ensure other road users in regional areas are more aware of how to best respond to large agricultural machinery.
“The safe and efficient movement of large farm machinery on public roads provides multiple benefits; including helping to safeguard an essential operational component of Australia’s agricultural sector,” he said.
“This will assist all road users, and ensure our hard working farmers can get on with the job of being the world’s best food and fibre producers.”
The NFF has developed a simple three-step process to help guide driver behaviour:
Look out: Roads are built for all Australians and not all vehicles travel at maximum speed. Be aware of farmers, cyclists and trucks that might be slower.
Slow down: Most accidents with LAVs in Australia are rear-end collisions due to differing travelling speeds. Slow down when you see a slower vehicle ahead.
Take Care: When overtaking, make sure it is safe to do so and you have enough space – take a moment to evaluate the situation. When an LAV heads your way slow down and give the oncoming vehicles plenty of space.
Mr Mahar said common sense and mutual respect were at the core of ensuring public roads could be safely shared by all users, including farmers operating LAVs.
“Farmers take their responsibility to keep our communities safe very seriously, and recognise moving large machines like tractors and harvesters can cause some inconvenience to other drivers and hamper the flow of traffic,” Mr Mahar said.
“Farmers will always move out of the way in these vehicles where we can, but we want to work as a team with other road users to use common sense when we do need to interact, and to follow the three simple steps of Look Out, Slow Down and Take Care.”
Mr Mahar said the movement of large machinery on public roads was an essential operational element of Australia’s vibrant agricultural sector.
“Agriculture is one of Australia’s most important contributors to local communities and to the national economy, set to be worth $60 billion in 2018-19 while employing 1.6 million people across the supply chain,” he said.
“Large machinery is also critical to keeping farmers on their way to growing the food and fibre which feeds our nation, with 93% of Australia’s food supply grown here on home shores.
“We welcome visitors into the regions, and want farming’s positive contributions to extend to how we share the roads with all drivers.
“Next time you’re on the road and encounter a farmer driving or hauling large machinery, please Look Out, Slow Down and Take Care, because sharing common roads successfully really just requires common sense and patience from all parties involved.”
The Common Roads, Common Sense project is part of NFF’s Sharing the Road Campaign, which is funded by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiatives Program, supported by the Commonwealth Government.