Safety spotchecks for West Midlands farmers driving on the road
Farmers in Shropshire and Herefordshire may find themselves stopped by the police over the next two months if driving on the roads. The Health and Safety Executive and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency are working together in an initiative designed to reduce the number of accidents involving agricultural vehicles. A series of vehicle safety checks will be undertaken during October and November. VOSA Examiners will be stopping agricultural vehicles being used on the road and, along with HSE Inspectors, assessing the safety of vehicles and trailers for use both on the road and on the farm. Both VOSA and HSE Inspectors have the power to prohibit further use of the vehicle if they feel there is a serious risk to other road users or the driver, regardless of the inconvenience this may cause the farmer. Rachel Bradshaw, the HSE Inspector co-ordinating the initiative in the West Midlands said: “By working jointly with VOSA to target vehicles creating a risk on the road, HSE hopes that the standard of safety for agricultural vehicles and trailers will improve on the farm. “By ensuring that their tractors and trailers are maintained in safe working order, farmers can prevent the unnecessary suffering of those needlessly killed or injured by agricultural vehicles every year.”
