As temperatures rise and planting season gets underway across Pennsylvania, drivers navigating rural roads should be prepared to share them with large, slow-moving farm equipment.

The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB), along with state government partners, encouraged driver caution during Rural Roads Safety Week from April 12 to 18. Each year, PFB partners with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) to raise awareness about staying safe on rural roads during the spring planting season.

Drivers should know that farm equipment can legally operate on public roads, including at night, but must follow safety guidelines based on equipment size. Any vehicle traveling under 25 miles per hour is required to display a Slow-Moving Vehicle (SMV) sign - an orange triangle with a red border - on the back of the vehicle. Drivers who see that emblem should slow down immediately.

When following a tractor on the road, it is important to keep the following information in mind: farm equipment may turn at unexpected places, into fields or farm lanes; large equipment pulling to the right may be preparing for a wide left turn; never pass unless the oncoming lane is fully clear and visible; and never pass in a no-passing zone or within 100 feet of an intersection, railroad crossing, bridge, or tunnel.

For more information, visit http://www.pfb.com/rural-roads-safety-program.