Eric Hallman, Ellen Abend
Cornell Agricultural Health and Safety Program
What do you need to know?
Help to Prevent Collisions
You play a vital role in helping to
prevent roadway collisions by insuring
that your equipment is as visible as
possible to other motorists. The more
visible you are, the less likely you are to
be involved in a collision. Protecting
yourself and others can make the
difference between life and death.
Protect Yourself
According to the National Safety
Council, approximately 15,000 farm
vehicles are involved in highway crashes
annually. Studies of collisions between
slow moving vehicles and motor vehicles
conclude that nearly 90 percent occur on
dry roads during daylight hours and two thirds
are rear-end collisions.
When a fatality occurs, the victim is
usually the tractor operator.
Tractors, with or without trailed
equipment, and self-propelled
implements are large enough to be
clearly visible on the highway, especially
during daylight hours. So, why are there
so many accidents involving farm
vehicles?
Many rural residents have no
experience with farming, yet they share
the roads with tractors and implements.
Lack of familiarity with farm equipment
may be responsible for their poor
judgment when gauging distances and
speeds of slow moving vehicles.
Additionally, the recognition of “something different” on the roadway may
not be apparent due to poor lighting and
marking. Tractors generally travel at less
than 20 miles per hour (mph), compared
with cars cruising at 55+ mph. A typical
driver does not instantly recognize this
difference in speed and may apply the
brakes too late to avoid a collision.
Motor vehicle drivers need to be able to
identify slow moving vehicles in time to react
safely. Protect yourself by installing the
proper lighting and marking to your
agricultural equipment. A small investment in
materials and time can help to prevent
common
roadway
collisions.
All self-propelled vehicles (tractors,
combines, haybines, etc.) operated on
public roadways in NY State after dark
have to comply with the lighting
specified in Table I. These lighting
requirements are in addition to the
SMV emblem requirements and do not
replace those requirements. It should
be noted that while it is recommended
to utilize the specified lighting at all
times throughout the day, NY
requirements only apply when the
agricultural equipment is used on the
public roadways from one-half hour
after sunset to one-half hour before
sunrise. At other times, no lighting
equipment is required on agricultural
equipment in NY.
Lighting
Extremity lighting and reflective
material marking combined can be a
very effective guard against roadway
collisions. Used together, other
motorists can quickly and accurately
identify that a large, slow moving piece
of equipment is on the road. Without
this type of effective protection farm
equipment operators may be more at
risk of injury or even death.
The lighting requirements of both NY
state law and ASAE S279.11 can be
found in Table I. ASAE
recommendations should be followed
whenever possible since these include
some safety components that are not
included as part of the NYS law.
These additional recommendations are
standardized through a national
consensus and have been adopted by
new equipment manufacturers.
It should be noted that when rearward
facing work lamps or general service
lamps are present, that they should be
aimed downward and that they shall
not be illuminated during highway
travel. Motorists can be blinded and
confused by the illumination of
rearward facing white lights, thus
becoming a detriment to safety.
Reflective marking material is a low
cost effective tool to identifying
agricultural equipment. Properly
placed reflective material helps the
equipment stand out on the roadway.
This conspicuous feature leads the
naming of this material to be called “conspicuity material”. Ideally,
agricultural equipment on the roadway
should be conspicuous since other
motorists will notice the equipment
immediately and have sufficient time to
avoid a collision.
Reflective materials can include:
Fluorescent material which is visible in
both daytime and low-light conditions.
The fluorescent orange material in the
center of the new ASAE standard SMV
emblems is visible at twice the distance
as the former material. Fluorescent
color materials are comprised of
fluorescent dyes which are bright, but
unfortunately decompose and lose their
brilliance (fading) over time.
Fluorescent materials, such as the
center of SMV emblems, should be
replaced when their brilliance fades
thus reducing their effectiveness.
Retroreflective material is designed to
redirect light directly back towards its’
source. In the case of an SMV sign,
the triangular border is made of red
retroreflective tape that reflects the light
of motorists’ headlights directly back,
creating a visible warning effect. The
retroreflective border of the new SMV
signs is over 10 times brighter than the
design of the older SMV signs.
Typically the older style SMV reflective
tape was only visible from a few
hundred feet where as the new
retroreflective tape used on SMV
emblems is visible for over a mile.
Retroreflective tape can also be used
as reflectors and conspicuity material to
meet ASAE standard recommendations
at the equipment extremities. This
retroreflective material is very durable
and generally more weather resistant
than the fluorescent materials.
Silage Wagon Diagram:
Note proper location of SMV sign, Red
Retroreflective tape at rear corners, and
Orange Fluorescent tape inside next to Red
Retroreflective tape. Side and Front corners
have Yellow Retroreflective tape.
Tillage Implement Diagram:
Note proper location of SMV and Marking
tape as diagram above, although the
location on Tillage implement is directly to
frame member.
Note: Diagrams courtesy of Gempler’s
Table I: ASAE Recommendations and New York State Requirements
Lighting and Marking of Agricultural Equipment for Travel on Public Roads
Item |
ASAE Recommendations
#279.11 & S276.5 |
NEW YORK Requirements |
|
# |
Color |
Mounting |
|
Headlights |
2 |
White |
On either side of
vehicle centerline
at same height. |
Same as ASAE
recommendation1 |
Tail lights |
2 |
Red |
Symmetrically
mounted to rear
between 3.3’&10’
high from 2’to 5’
on left & right of
machine center |
1 Red as far to left as
possible |
Hazard Flashers |
2 or more |
Amber |
3.3’to 12’ high &
spaced as widely
apart as
practicable to be
visible from front
& rear. |
Combined hazard,
warning, and turn signal
lamps. 2 amber, at least
42” high, at same level,
as far apart as practicable
and visible front & rear. |
Turn Indicators |
2 |
Amber & Red |
Hazard flashers to
also function as
turn signals. |
SMV Emblem |
1 |
Fluorescent
orange for
daylight & red
retroreflective
border for night |
On rear center or
rear left for
maximum
visibility of 600’
day or night; 2’ to
10’ above ground. |
All implements of
husbandry designed to
operate at 25 mph or less
shall display the SMV on
rear of vehicle at all times
on highways |
Reflectors which
may be part of
tail lamp lens or
conspicuity
material |
2
2 |
Red on rear of
machine
Yellow on front
of machine |
Size to be 2” wide
by 4.5” long for
machines =6.7’
wide. Size to
increase to 2” by
9” for wider
machines. |
2 Red
On rear, same level, as far
apart as practicable. |
Conspicuity
material to better
define size and to
increase
visibility. |
Red retroreflectors
&
fluorescent
markers on rear
corners & =6’
apart on rear.
Front: change
color to yellow2 |
Red retroreflective
& reorange
fluorescent
Yellow retroreflective. |
Visible to rear
Horizontal & in line
as practicable
Visible to front
Reflectors to be
within 16” of
outside corners and
fluorescent material
within 25” of outer
corners. |
SMV only, but additional
recommended. |
1 between sunset & sunrise & during reduced visibility
2 for trailing equipment >16.4’ behind hitch point, display amber/yellow reflectors spaced <16.4’ apart on sides.
|
Size: |
16 inches wide and 14 inches high |
Shape: |
Equilateral triangle, one point up, points cut off and
slightly rounded, smooth edges |
Border: |
1 3/4 inches, dark red, highly reflective material |
Center: |
12 1/4-inch triangle of yellow-orange fluorescent
material |
Backing: |
0.04-inch aluminum sheet, 0.03-inch 22-gauge
galvanized steel, 0.08-inch ABS plastic |
Mounting: |
Emblem point up, 2 to 6 feet high, in the center of the "r'
rear of the vehicle. |
|
New York State requires that slow
moving vehicle emblems meet the
manufacturing standards
recommended by the American Society
of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE).
Emblems meeting these standards are
stamped with an ASAE certification
number. There are less expensive
emblems that do not meet the ASAE
standards, but they frequently fade
quickly, and are less reflective even
when new.
The approved emblem is a
fluorescent red-orange center and red
retroreflective border triangle.
Triangles can be recognized better
from a distance than other shapes, and
the fluorescent center is highly visible.
If the fluorescent triangle fades, it
becomes less visible to motor vehicle
drivers. The emblem should be
replaced before it loses its
effectiveness as a warning device.
A recent study, by Cornell
University, of approximately 7,000
tractors and implements on New York
State farms showed that only 20% had
a SMV emblem present, in good
condition, and placed correctly. Is your
equipment part of the 20% that was
adequately protected or part of the 80%
that was in need of a new SMV?
According to New York State law, all
tractors, self-propelled equipment, road
construction and maintenance
machinery, and animal drawn vehicles
designed to operate at 25 mph or less
must display a slow moving vehicle
emblem on the rear of the vehicle when
traveling on public highways.
The size, design, and mounting
specifications must conform to ASAE
specifications. The state-mandated
emblem must be displayed in addition to
any lighting devices, flags, or other
equipment currently required by law.
The use of slow moving vehicle
symbols on stationary objects on
highways or as clearance markers on
wide machinery is prohibited. If a
motorist's view of the emblem is
obstructed by a trailed implement,
another emblem should be mounted on
the rear of the implement.
- Inspect machinery for proper
lights and reflective materials.
- Retrofit older equipment with new
retroreflective tape, extremity
lighting, and new SMV signs.
- Be certain that every slow
moving vehicle and piece of
trailed equipment has a properly
placed slow moving vehicle
emblem that is clean and not
faded. Replace-worn, damaged,
and faded emblems as soon as
possible.
- Do not use SMV emblems for
stationary markers, such as for a
driveway or mailbox; it is illegal
and can cause confusion and
collisions . Extended misuse can
cause the symbols to lose their
effectiveness as a warning
device.
- Anticipate problems that
motorists might have because of
their limited experience with slow
moving vehicles and give them
extra room on the roadway.
For additional information:
- Cornell Agricultural Health & Safety
Program. 1-877-257-9777,
http://www.diaglab.vet.cornell.edu/
aghealth/
- Refer to the ASAE standard 279.11,
Lighting and Marking of Agricultural
Equipment on Highways and ASAE
S276.5, Slow-Moving Vehicle
Identification Emblem. 1-269-429-0300, http://www.asae.org/
- Contact your local New York State
Police, Troop Traffic Division.
- Gempler’s 1-800-382-8473
This publication is issued to further
Cooperative Extension work mandated
by acts of Congress of May 8 and June
30, 1914. It was produced with the
cooperation of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture; Cornell Cooperative
Extension; the New York State College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences, New York
State College of Human Ecology, and
New York State College of Veterinary
Medicine, at Cornell University. Cornell
Cooperative Extension provides equal
program and employment opportunities.
CU 6/05
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NASD Review: 07/2005
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