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Prepared by Charles
V. Schwab, extension farm safety specialist; Laura
Miller, extension communications.
Iowa State University Extension
The transport
of agricultural equipment on public roads can be a dangerous
operation. According to Iowa Department of transportation
data, about 20 percent of all traffic accidents involving
farm equipment are rear-end collisions. Problems occur when
vehicles traveling at higher speeds come upon a tractor or
other slow-moving equipment and motorists do not have time
to slow down.
A farm
operator's best protection on public roads is the use of slow-moving
vehicle (SMV) emblems. This publication will discuss when
SMV emblems are required, and the farm operator's responsibility
in maintaining those emblems to ensure your safety as well
as the safety of other motorists.
Why
identify slower vehicles? Early identification of a slow-moving
vehicle by the motorist gives the motorist an opportunity
to avoid a collision. It's helpful to know how little time
motorists actually have when they come upon a slow-moving
vehicle.
For example,
a car traveling 50 miles per hour approaches a tractor traveling
20 miles per hour in the same direction on the road. Even
if the car is still 400 feet behind the tractor (a sizeable
following distance), the driver of the car has less than 10
seconds to react to avoid a collision with the tractor. In
those 10 seconds, the motorist must recognize that a dangerous
situation exists, determine the speed at which the tractor
is moving, then decide what action to take. Time required
o brake a vehicle traveling at 50 miles per hour also must
be figured into the driver's 10-second response time. Under
ideal road conditions, it would require at least one second
(and about 55 feet of braking distance) to slow the vehicle
to 20 miles per hour and avoid a rear-end collision with the
tractor.
Without
early warning provided by the SMV emblem, the motorist might
not have enough time to respond in this situation and to avoid
a collision.
Iowa
law requires all vehicles traveling on public roads at speeds
less than 25 miles per hour to display an SMV emblem on the
rear of the vehicle. The emblem alerts drivers that they are
approaching a vehicle traveling at a reduced rate of speed
and that caution may be necessary. All types of slow-moving
vehicles, including horse-drawn carriages, mowers, and construction
equipment that use public roads, must display the SMV emblem.
The emblem
must be displayed on the rear of any slow-moving vehicle used
on public roads. If towing wagons or other equipment, the
emblem on the tractor must be clearly visible, or another
emblem must be displayed on the rear of the last implement.
The shape,
color, and placement of the SMV emblem also are specified
by law. The emblem is an equilateral triangle at least 14
inches high (plus or minus 0.3 inches). It is a fluorescent
orange material with a border of a red retro-reflective material.
The fluorescent material is visible in daylight and the reflective
border shines when illuminated by headlights of an approaching
vehicle.
Standards
for the SMV emblem are set by the American Society of Agricultural
Engineers, the American National Standard Institute, and the
Society of Automotive Engineers.
The placement
of the SMV emblem is critical. The emblem is required to be
displayed in the rear and as close to the center of the vehicle
or implement as possible. It must be mounted with the point
up, at a right angle or perpendicular to the direction of
travel so that it can be seen by motorists approaching from
the rear. The lower edge of the emblem must be at least 2
feet and not more than 6 feet above the ground.
Farm
operators must not only mount SMV emblems on all slow-moving
equipment used on public roads, they also must maintain those
emblems. Inspect emblems occasionally for fading. Exposure
to sunlight causes the reflective material to fade, thus reducing
its effectiveness.
SMV emblems
that are faded or appear white must be replaced. Keep extra
emblems on hand. New emblems can be obtained from local equipment
dealers, or during various safety promotions.
Check
SMV emblems before entering public roads. They can become
covered with mud and debris, so a good cleaning may be necessary.
Dirty emblems are not as effective as clean ones.
The use
of SMV emblems is only one requirement for agricultural equipment
used on public roads. Other state and local regulations may
apply to the transportation of agricultural equipment on public
roads. Additional laws may require proper lighting, special
towing chains, reflectors, or specify other restrictions.
Use of an SMV emblem does not replace other safety requirements.
The display
and maintenance of SMV emblems on slow-moving agricultural
equipment used on public roads is a simple and effective way
to reduce considerable risks for farm operators. Know the
regulations in your area, and take precautions to ensure the
safety of yourself and other motorists.
1. What
do the SMV letters mean?
2. All
agricultural equipment requires an SMV emblem. True or false?
3. The
SMV emblem is circular. True or false?
4. The
SMV emblem is a fluorescent orange equilateral triangle with
a red retro-reflective border. True or false?
5. Once
you've permanently attached SMV emblems on tractors and other
equipment, the signs never need inspecting again. True or
false?
6. The
driver of a car, traveling 50 mph, spots a tractor about 400
ft. ahead on the road. The tractor is traveling 20 mph. How
long does the driver of the car have to respond, slow down,
and avoid a rear-end collision?
a) more
than 60 seconds b) 30 to 40 seconds c) less than 10 seconds
[Answers
to quiz: 1-Slow-moving vehicle; 2-False; 3-False; 4-True;
5-False; 6-c]
These
simple actions can greatly reduce your risks while transporting
farm equipment.
- Apply
SMV emblems on all agricultural equipment that will be used
on public roads.
- Inspect
current SMV emblems for signs of fading and replace, if
needed.
- Check
your local law enforcement agency for current laws regarding
farm vehicles on public roads.
- Periodically
clean SMV emblems and make sure they are securely mounted
on the vehicle or implement.
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NASD Review: 04/2002
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