Fall Harvest Farmers Vehicles Safety

Motorists traveling on Minnesota roads this fall should stay alert for large farm equipment transporting crops to markets, grain elevators and processing plants.

Wabasha County Sheriff Rodney Bartsh says farm equipment often make wide turns and sometimes cross over the center line. He says farmers driving equipment after dark need to have a lead vehicle.

Bartsh says farm vehicles can create large blind spots, making it difficult for operators to see approaching vehicles. 

He reminds people it’s never legal, or safe, to pass while crossing the center yellow line.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Crash data shows there were 455 crashes involving farm equipment in Minnesota from 2022 to 2024, resulting in eight deaths and 180 injuries.