With Apple Harvest Wrapping Up, Drivers Must Show Patience

Wheat harvest ended a few weeks ago. We are now wrapping up the apple harvest in Washington state. The busy harvest weeks mean trucks with valuable boxes of fruits navigating the roads of the Wenatchee, Chelan, and Yakima communities.

Drivers on rural roads in less populated counties in Washington must stay alert for possible encounters with large farm equipment driving on our roads.

Sometimes, Washington Ag workers must drive their tractors on public roadways. This is legal, but there are specific rules you must follow. 

Since tractors don’t go much faster than 25 miles per hour, know that you slow down traffic and can make drivers angry, or worse, you could be involved in a collision.  How to safely drive around farm vehicles.

If you encounter farm vehicles on the road. You should remember to:

* Drive defensively.

* Slow down.

* Take a second look.

* Pass carefully. 

What time of day should Ag workers in tractors avoid driving on the road?

Tractors should avoid busy county roads and refrain from driving during busy weekday or weekday afternoon hours.

Washington State Laws for driving a tractor on a public road

• Post a “slow-moving vehicle” sign on your tractor 
• Hazard warning lights, 
• Headlamps
• A red lamp and at least two red reflectors. A farm-exempt decal is also necessary to demonstrate that the tractor is exempt from state registration requirements.