Be street smart over Bank Holiday – NFU

19 August 1997

"Be street smart over Bank Holiday" – NFU

By FWi staff

THE National Farmers Union has told farmers to be especially cautious as traffic mounts in rural areas over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Government statistics show that more than 1000 people are killed or injured each year in the UK in accidents involving agricultural vehicles on roads.

A study commissioned by the Department of Transport found that the cost of agricultural vehicle accidents is assessed at over £60 million per annum plus 5000 agricultural working days lost.

As part of the NFUs harvest road safety campaign aimed at preventing injury and death on country roads, the NFU has outlined eight steps farmers should take heed of when moving machinery on roads.

These include:

• Pulling over to avoid queues mounting behind you
  
• Ensure you vehicle is roadworthy – otherwise youre breaking the law
  
• Check brakes, lights and steering before use
  
• Guard and/or reposition safely sharp edges and spikes
  
• Secure any load
  
• Do not overload any vehicle
  
• Use your lights and amber beacons
  
• Keep the road clean.

NFU deputy president Tony Pexton said farmers should be aware that city people travelling to rural areas are not used to sharing the road with tractors and combine harvesters, which are much larger and slower than ordinary vehicles.