With harvest season now in full swing across Grey and Bruce counties, police have issued a reminder to drivers to be patient when encountering farm vehicles and horse-drawn buggies.
Grey Bruce OPP advise this is the time of year drivers can expect to see more agricultural equipment traveling on local roads. The farm vehicles are slow moving and can often be large enough to take up more than one lane of traffic. As such, drivers should use caution when approaching, slow down, and only pass when it is safe and legal to do so, police said.
The danger can be even greater when approaching horse-drawn equipment and buggies as they are not not equipped with modern safety features and are vulnerable on roads with higher speed limits.
According to police, the best course of action in these situations is for drivers to slow down, leave plenty of space when passing, and avoid honking their vehicle's horn as this can startle the horses, creating a dangerous situation.
"Sharing the road is a responsibility we all have," said Constable Kody Lyons. "Whether you're driving a car, operating farm equipment, or using a horse and buggy, safety starts with awareness and respect."
Farmers can do their part by ensuring their equipment is properly marked with a slow moving vehicle sign, lights are activated, and signals used when traveling on public roadways.
Police added that visibility is key to keeping everyone safe on the roads.
