Fall, Rain and Harvest | Traveling around Jasper County

Fall, Rain and Harvest | Traveling around Jasper County

As we enter October, we want to remind everyone to prioritize safety as the harvest season ramps up and large agricultural equipment becomes more common on our roads. With increased farm machinery movement, all drivers must stay vigilant and practice safe driving habits.

Large farm equipment comes with significant blind spots, making it difficult for operators to see other vehicles. To help keep everyone safe this harvest season, we encourage the public to follow these important SAFETY TIPS….

* SHARE THE ROAD AND MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE. Always leave plenty of room between your vehicle and farm equipment. Farmers may move toward the center of the road to avoid obstacles or make sudden turns.

* BUCKLE UP! Make sure everyone in your vehicle wears a seatbelt for maximum protection.

* SLOW DOWN AND BE ALERT for Slow-Moving Vehicle (SMV) signs and flashing lights. Farm machinery often travels under 25 mph. Use extra caution on rural roads, especially when approaching hills or blind corners.

* STOP AT CORNERS and make sure the farm equipment operator sees you before proceeding. This ensures everyone’s safety.

* WATCH FOR WIDE TURNS and pay attention to both turn and hand signals. Equipment pulling to the right may be preparing for a wide left turn.

* As you travel around our beautiful county, you will notice the corn in some areas stands very tall. DOUBLE-CHECK FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC before you turn left or right, or if you’re traveling throughout one of our 927 miles of gravel roads, watch for traffic around corners.

Lastly and maybe most importantly, due to conditions of our secondary roads with all the rain we’ve received, we’ve seen trucks parked alongside the roads. The Sheriff’s Office is aware, and so is the Engineer’s Office.

PLEASE BE PATIENT as our farmers navigate their equipment on soggy fields and roads.

As harvest progresses, expect to see more large farm implements on Iowa roads. Our farmers are working hard to bring in crops that feed and fuel our communities. Please be patient, give them space, and help keep our roads safe for everyone.

We wish all Jasper County farmers a safe and bountiful harvest!