The wrong number plates. A brake light that thinks it’s an indicator. A towing eye that should have been replaced last year.

These will be familiar faults to farmers running older road going farm machinery, while that wet weather workshop day to fix all these niggling issues, continually gets shoved down the pecking order.

We spoke to Dan Cox at Avon and Somerset Constabulary, who lifted the lid on the most common type of offences he and his colleagues have seen over the 2017 harvest, with majority of them leading to a fixed penalty prosecution.

See also: 10 tips to keep your Ifor Williams trailer road legal

Here are the top 10 most common culprits:

1. Insecure loads

It’s common to see bales scattered around the roads of Avon and Somerset due to the farmer requiring that extra strap.

2. Lights

Tractor and trailer lights not working, or a lighting board that is smaller than the implements width – lights must define the width of the vehicle.

© Avon and Somerset Constabulary

3. Brakes

Trailer brakes not connected and cracked hydraulic hoses.

4. Handbrakes    

Trailer handbrakes seized or not connected.

5. Number plates    

Number plates cracked or not visible.

6. Beacons    

Flashing beacons obscured by a large load.

7. Covered lights

© Tim Scrivener

Implement covering lights on tractor with no marker board.

8. Hitches

Badly worn hitches.

9. Tyres

© Avon and Somerset Constabulary

Tyres in poor condition with wire, bulges or uneven wear visible.

10. High speeds

Tractors being used for high-speed work over 25mph (40kph). Trailer and tractor must be suitable spec to cope with excess speed road work.