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Show May 1975 Utah Farm Bureau News Page 6 Practice defensive driving on your farm tractor too equipment and load. Many accidents By National Safety Council Two previous articles have covered general safety tips on a farm tractor, a checklist of safety equipment for the tractor, and a safety check to make before driving onto a public road. This month's feature covers actual highway travel. If the equipment checks out OK, youre ready for the trip. Buckle up if your tractor is equipped with safely belts. Everyone should be a defensive driver behind the wheel of his tractor or machine just as he self-propell- occur w hen the driver is more interested in the neighbors corn or cows than in the driving job at hand. Safely transporting a farm vehicle requires full concentration. Dont hog the road. Hitch trailing equipment for minimum total vehicle width and try to keep it all within your e lane. If on a busy highway or narrow road, pull over when possible to let traffic pass safely. However, in two-lan- should be in his car or truck. Here is what a defensive driver operating a farm vehicle on a public road would do: Always stop at the end of the driveway or lane. looking both ways before pulling onto the road. Switch on the Hashing lights. It might take 10 or 12 seconds for a tractor and wagon (and perhaps 18 seconds for a tractor and two wagons) to get completely across or onto (turning left) a road from a standstill. Therefore. .remain stopped if you see approaching traffic nearer than V mile if pulling one trailing vehicle V3 and mile if pulling two. Adjust travel speed to road conditions. Special problems include snow and ice, bumps and ruts, high road crowns, soft shoulders, narrow snivel mounds and roadside obstacles. hut also Watch where vou are going. w keep informed about following traffic and vehicles trying to pass. Also keep tabs on w hat's happening with trailing right-of-wa- v. w wheel or coast when going downhill in certain gears. Without the assistance of engine braking, such a load could cause you to roll too fast and lead to dangerous steering or stopping problems. Make sure your tractor is in a direct-driv- e gear. Unless you have a transmission, before starting up a good hill with a heavy load, shift to a gear that will give you ample power to make it non-sto- p s to the top. Upgrade or stalls are hazardous as there is danger of rolling back and risk of the tractor rearing up when trying to start the load moving forward again. Signal stops and turns, if possible. Avoid sudden, erratic or unexpected maneuvers. Watch for cars that might be trying to pass before turning left and never turn left imme-diatel- y in front of oncoming traffic. Turn light on when it begins to w w and dark of get poor during periods visibility. Never permit riders on tractors, trailing or equipment. Falls from farm equipment are particularly dangerous on roads. A wagon is a favorite riding place for passengers but they are subjected to considerable risk: wagons can be struck from w the rear, break loose or upset; youthful wagon riders may stand up or horse Be sure nothings coming from either direction before crossing road. It will take about 10 seconds for this rig to get all the way across from a stop. A motor vehicle going 55 mph will have traveled about 800 feet during this time. go shift-stop- slow-down- Here's a dangerous tractor tipper that might trap the unwary. Stay alert for roadside hazards and obstacles. keeping well to the right, be alert for and avoid roadside hazards such as culverts, posts, washouts and deep ditches. Shift to a lower gear before going up or down hills and grades when pulling a heavy rollingw load. Some tractors have transmission designs which free w w s, self-propell-ed m W W If possible, signal your intentions. Consider adding turn signals to your rig. around, perhaps out of sight or control of the driver. Obey all traffic laws and signs. Exercise great care at unsigned or blind intersections on a county or township road, and when crossing e narrow or bridges. Sharp curves and hills call for special alertness. to- o- keep well to the right. Keep guard up all the time. Never abandon defensive driving tactics even on local roads. Many farm vehicles are struck bv neighbors who also are famil- iar with the roads but have violated defensive driving rules. one-lan- m Utahs Exclusive Heavy Duty NEW TRUCKS Vt & 2 TONS USED TRUCKS Ford Truck Dealer Over 35 Medium and Heavy Trucks to Choose From 00s 25-F-60- 7-LN-- Pulling out of a field entrance such as this can be hazardous for both the tractor driver and the oncoming where trees, motorist, especially hill block the view. a curve or shift-on-the-- ed 3-F-5- kam EXAMPLE 0s 4 1973 CHEVS 600s C-64-C-6- 00s 2 TONS 2 8-C-7- 0, 3 1970 5 speed F-6- 00 V-- 750 1 GAS TANDEMS 000 000 000 966 T-8- 50 12 yd. dump, 477, 5 speed 4 880s speed 1972 DIESEL 3-C-8- V-- 8, 18' Vans roll up rear doors, 8 -700 6-LT-- C-70- 00 speed tractors 2 2-C-- speeds. speeds Full air, 361, 00s 5 V-- 8, 3 1969 00's 8-F-7- 361, 1972 Dumps V-- 8, CabChs CabChs CChs CChs 1 300 C-7- 00 20' Van Body 361, 5 speed, 2 speed C-7- 00 2 1971 KWs Conventional Tractors R to 910 Cummins 335 South 300 West 487-- 1 071 |